science and scientific illiteracy. what is science? carl sagan stated: science is a way of thinking...
TRANSCRIPT
What is science? Carl Sagan stated:
Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge
1934 -
1996
Aristotle maintained that women have fewer Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by examining his wives’ this statement by examining his wives’ mouthsmouths
Bertrand, Lord Russel Bertrand, Lord Russel 19521952
Science is the study of nature in an Science is the study of nature in an attempt to understand it and to form an attempt to understand it and to form an organized body of knowledge that has organized body of knowledge that has predictive power and application in society predictive power and application in society (Chiappetta and Koballa Jr. 2006)(Chiappetta and Koballa Jr. 2006)
DefinitionDefinitionScience is a particular way of knowing the Science is a particular way of knowing the
world world So is philosophy or a talk show, or a fortune So is philosophy or a talk show, or a fortune
cookiecookieHowever: However:
In Science, explanations are limited to those In Science, explanations are limited to those based on observations and experiments that based on observations and experiments that can be verified by other scientistscan be verified by other scientists
Explanations that cannot be based on Explanations that cannot be based on empirical evidence are not part of scienceempirical evidence are not part of science
Evolution vs. Intelligent Design Evolution – all the changes that have formed life on Earth
from its earliest beginnings to the diversity that characterizes
Intelligent Design – The theory that holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection.
Why not teach both in a biology classroom? Because Intelligent Design is not based on science!
Evolution is based on science Intelligent Design is based on faith
Notice I did not say Intelligent Design was wrong!
No matter what eyewitness testimony is in the court of law, it is the lowest form of evidence in the court of science.
Science Is Not Based On Opinion!Science Is Not Based On Opinion! Scientific information is based on objective Scientific information is based on objective
reasoning through careful analysis of datareasoning through careful analysis of data
Data must be gathered without experimenter biasData must be gathered without experimenter biasCandle ActivityCandle Activity
Conclusions based on data need to made public and Conclusions based on data need to made public and scrutinized by the scientific communityscrutinized by the scientific communityhttp://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/
Bostrom_Ritchison_AMKE.pdfBostrom_Ritchison_AMKE.pdf
Scientific statements/information are not made Scientific statements/information are not made lightlylightly
What are so special about these What are so special about these dates?dates?
December 21, 2012December 21, 2012
April 13, 2029April 13, 2029
December 21, 2012
Mayan ProphecyGalactic alignmentEnd of the World
http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/watch/2009/11/12/will-2012-be-the-end
April 9, 2029
Asteroid Apophis
http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/watch/2007/02/09/commonwealth-club-asteroid-apophis
How Do We Get Scientific How Do We Get Scientific Information?Information?
Scientific Methods or InquiryScientific Methods or Inquiry
ObservingObservingCollecting DataCollecting DataDeveloping a HypothesisDeveloping a HypothesisExperimentingExperimentingConcludingConcluding
•Observation•Hypothesis•Experiment•Data•Conclusion
What Students Love to Hear!What Students Love to Hear!
Science is Math and Math is ScienceScience is Math and Math is ScienceData collecting and how it is done is based on Data collecting and how it is done is based on
the statistics you choose to use for your studythe statistics you choose to use for your study
Four Themes of ScienceFour Themes of ScienceScience as a Way of ThinkingScience as a Way of ThinkingScience as a Way of InvestigatingScience as a Way of InvestigatingScience as a Body of KnowledgeScience as a Body of KnowledgeScience and Its Interaction with Science and Its Interaction with
Technology and SocietyTechnology and Society
Science as a Body of KnowledgeScience as a Body of Knowledge
FactsFactsFoundations for principles, concepts, and Foundations for principles, concepts, and
theoriestheoriesRaw material with little meaningRaw material with little meaning
ConceptsConceptsAn abstraction of events, objects, or An abstraction of events, objects, or
phenomena that seem to have certain phenomena that seem to have certain properties or attributes in commonproperties or attributes in common
Science as a Body of KnowledgeScience as a Body of Knowledge
TheoriesTheoriesUsed to explain underlying patterns and Used to explain underlying patterns and
forcesforcesA logical, time-tested explanation for events A logical, time-tested explanation for events
that occur in the natural worldthat occur in the natural worldCan be disprovedCan be disproved
Science as a Body of KnowledgeScience as a Body of Knowledge
Laws and PrinciplesLaws and Principles
Higher order ideas used to describe Higher order ideas used to describe phenomena and patterns in nature under phenomena and patterns in nature under certain conditionscertain conditions
Key point to remember is a law describes and Key point to remember is a law describes and predicts but does not explain the phenomenapredicts but does not explain the phenomena
Science and SocietyScience and Society
“ “ The whole of science is nothing more than a The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.”refinement of everyday thinking.”
Einstein, 1954, p. 283Einstein, 1954, p. 283
The knowledge gained from science is meant to The knowledge gained from science is meant to help better societyhelp better society
Science is not meant to try and tell society how to act Science is not meant to try and tell society how to act or liveor live
Need to be cautious with different cultures and beliefsNeed to be cautious with different cultures and beliefs
Science and SocietyScience and Society
BenefitsBenefits Advances in medicineAdvances in medicine Cleaner fuelsCleaner fuels Advances in technologyAdvances in technology
Negative Impacts Society has on ScienceNegative Impacts Society has on Science MisunderstandingMisunderstanding Funding – Most major grants are federalFunding – Most major grants are federal
What happens when there is a war?What happens when there is a war? What happens when the administration has a different philosophy with What happens when the administration has a different philosophy with
funding agencies?funding agencies?
Has this always been true?
No > 300 years you could have been stripped, tied to
a stake and burned to death for saying the Earth was not at the center of the universe
Giordano Bruno
Stated the sun was one of an infinite number of independently moving heavenly bodies in the universe
It is astonishing to realize that until Galileo performed his experiments on the acceleration of gravity in the early seventeenth century, nobody questioned Aristotle's falling balls. Nobody said, Show Me!
Neil Degrasse Tyson, Universe Down To Earth, p. 17
Can You Believe This?Can You Believe This? A court case a couple of decades ago, where the A court case a couple of decades ago, where the
person being indicted stated the moon was in a person being indicted stated the moon was in a particular phase. The prosecution brought in an particular phase. The prosecution brought in an astronomer to counter argue that the moon was in astronomer to counter argue that the moon was in a different phase than the one suggested. The a different phase than the one suggested. The judge asked how the astronomer knew this and the judge asked how the astronomer knew this and the astronomer showed the judge the Astronomical astronomer showed the judge the Astronomical Almanac which gives the dates and phases of the Almanac which gives the dates and phases of the moon. The judge threw out the astronomers moon. The judge threw out the astronomers testimony saying that we can’t predict the phases of testimony saying that we can’t predict the phases of the moon any better than the weather. the moon any better than the weather.
What are they thinking?
Italian scientists face manslaughter charges for failure to predict earthquake
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/03/italy-scientists-risk-earthquake-death-charges
What is Science?What is Science?
Science is the study of nature in an Science is the study of nature in an attempt to understand it and to form an attempt to understand it and to form an organized body of knowledge that has organized body of knowledge that has predictive power and application in society predictive power and application in society (Chiappetta and Koballa Jr. 2006)(Chiappetta and Koballa Jr. 2006)