Nature of Science[1]

7/28/2019 Nature of Science[1]

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I: What is nature of science?

Science is an endeavour that seeks tounderstand the workings of the natural world

for example, how did life began, are we alone inthis universe, and can we travel to outer space

Science makes use of logical tools to probe themysteries of nature these could be

experimental and mathematical tools Science also refers to the corpus of knowledge

that has been accumulated so far


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II: What is Nature of Science?

A good understanding of living things &the environment has now been obtained

Techniques used to develop this body ofknowledge include observing, thinking,experimenting and validating

These ways represent a fundamentalaspect of the nature of science and reflecthow science tends to differ from other

modes of knowing


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Nature of Science

We will concentrate on three aspects:(a)Scientific worldview

(b)Scientific inquiry(c)Scientific enterprise


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Scientific Worldview

Scientists have developed a set of viewsand attitudes on what makes their work

unique and how they go about doing it These attitudes and views are shaped by

the way the natural world has been made

amenable to understanding throughsustained logical probing and objectiveanalyses


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Scientific Worldview (a) theworld is understandable

The phenomena and events that occur innature can be understood if we study

them systematically Use of the human intellect as well as tools

that stretch our sensory capabilities can

uncover patterns in nature The laws of science hold in all parts of the

universe


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Scientific Worldview (b) scientificideas are subject to change

Science is a means for creating new knowledge Scientific knowledge often exists in a state of flux

because new findings may challenge the validity of

current thinking Just because a certain theory explains a set of

observations or phenomena does not mean that anothertheory cannot do so an alternative theory may well beequally valid

It is difficult to attain total understanding or absolutetruth in respect of an event or phenomena in nature buta good approximation is possible and this can explainmany things rationally


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Scientific Worldview (c)scientific knowledge is durable

Scientists recognize the limitations of the scientificenterprise in attaining total understanding of somethingin nature the gap between current understanding and

total understanding represents an element of uncertaintythat they can live with

Notwithstanding the difficulty of achieving the absolutetruth, many facets of scientific knowledge are able to

stand the test of time Progressive shaping of an idea to a level of acceptability

rather than its total rejection is generally the norm inscience


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Scientific Worldview (d) sciencecannot provide complete answers to all

questions There are limitations to the methods of science Certain things cannot be probed objectively

using the scientific approach Examples include existence of spirits, occurrence

of miracles, existence of supernatural powers,predicting an individuals future and validity of

superstitious beliefs

With their training, scientists can, however,provide a useful perspective to the discussions


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Scientific Inquiry

As science is perceived to be a means toprobe the mysteries of nature, it figures as

a mode of inquiry It is possible for all of us to emulate theworking approaches of scientists in orderto exercise inquiry in matters of everyday

significance


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Scientific Inquiry (a) sciencedemands evidence

An outlandish claim made by a scientist can beconfirmed or rejected by observations of relatedphenomena

Observations and measurements allow scientists toobtain accurate data Use of instruments to probe characteristics not amenable

to the senses allows scientists to overcome thelimitations of the sensesfor example, magnetic fields

Significant emphasis is devoted in science to developingmore powerful instruments and techniques ofobservations

When a scientist makes a claim, it is usually checked by

others working in the same field


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Scientific Inquiry (b) science is ablend of logic and investigation

Coming up with a new theory or hypothesis isnot an easy task considerable thinking andimagination are often necessary

A good analogy for coming up with a new theoryor a hypothesis is the writing of poetry,composing of music or the design of an aircraftcarrier

At times, scientists stumble upon discoveries byaccident or by chance

Data obtained by a scientist but ignored incoming up with a theory may be analyzed byothers to come up with new discoveries


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Scientific Inquiry (c) scienceexplains and predicts

Current scientific knowledge can often be usedto make sense of new observations andphenomena

If a scientific finding relating to a phenomenacan be used to show linkages with otherphenomena, its validity is enhanced.

Example: Theory of Moving Continents is able to

explain linkages among unrelated phenomenasuch as volcanoes, earthquakes, fit betweenfossil types found on different continents,shapes of continents and contours of sea beds


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Scientific Inquiry (d)scientists tend to identify and

avoid bias A scientist is skeptical by nature if somebody makes an

outlandish claim, he asks for proof

Sometimes, bias can creep into scientific data

unwittingly Scientists citizenship, sex, racial origin, and political

leanings can influence them to explore specific evidenceswhile de-emphasizing other kinds of evidences

Example: In study of primates, emphasis by malescientists was on competitive social behavior of males. Itwas only when female scientists entered this field thatfemale primates community-building behavior wasdiscovered


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Scientific Inquiry (e) Scienceis not authoritarian

In the annals of science, famous scientists havebeen proved wrong a number of times

Just because a scientist is famous does notmean that he has the monopoly of truth in aparticular field

No scientist believes that another scientist hasthe answers to all questions in a field

Radical concepts that do not gel with currentthinking may encounter criticisms


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Scientific Enterprise (a) Science is acomplex social activity

Anyone, irrespective of ethnic, national andgender backgrounds, can participate in science

scientists, doctors, engineers, technicians,librarians, and teachers use a lot of science intheir work

As a social endeavor, science tends to impose

values and views: for example, in the 19thcentury and before, restrictions were placed onthe education and employment of females andthus their exclusion from most of science


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Scientific Enterprise (a) Science isorganized into disciplines and conducted invarious institutions

Science has developed so much that it is now organizedinto disciplines

With science being organized into disciplines, there is anoverarching schemata to provide structure fororganizing research and classifying findings

Disadvantage is that the natural world is multi-disciplinary in its workings thus the segmentation ofscience does not mirror the way the world works andthus makes the establishing of linkages difficult

Scientific disciplines generally have porous borders New disciplines are being formed at the interfaces of

other disciplines Many institutions engage in science-based activities for

example, hospitals, universities, libraries, and schools


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Scientific Enterprise (c) There areethical principles in the conduct of

science Scientists subscribe to a code of ethics in

their work

Some of the traditions include maintainingproper records and notes, beingobjective, encouraging others to replicate

their work, and allowing critical review oftheir work by other scientists

When live subjects are used, proper

protocols must be observed


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Scientific Enterprise Scientistsparticipate in public affairs both as

scientists and citizens With their training and habits of mind, scientists

can bring useful insights into matters of publicdebate and interest

They can help the public to understand thepossible reasons for the occurrence of an eventand the implications of certain policies

Some matters of public debate are just toocomplex, and scientists have their limitations tocontribute to these discusions in a meaningfulmanner

Nature of Science[1]

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