WHAT IS SCIENCE AND
WHAT IS A SCIENTIST?
KNR 164
WHAT IS SCIENCE?
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Science is:
 the concerted human effort to understand, or to
understand better, the history of the natural world
and how the natural world works with observable
physical evidence as the basis of that understanding
This is done through observations
This is also done through experimentation that tries to
simulate or alter natural processes under controlled
conditions
WHAT IS SCIENCE?
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Types of Science:
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Observational Science: data recorded to describe
what is being studied.
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Example: Observe and describe the way some one walks
Experimental Science -experimentation that tries
to simulate or alter natural processes under
controlled conditions
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Example: observe the way some one walks –then perturb
their gait and observe their corrective balance strategy
In either case OBSERVATION is the key
component; followed closely by the recording of
data
WHAT IS A SCIENTIST
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Someone who observes and describes how the
natural world works and conducts research to
generate knowledge
What is your image of a scientist?
 Do they need to be trained?
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SCIENCE VS. RESEARCH
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The term science and research are often used
interchangeably but typically Science is a global
term and the word research is often used to
describe the methodology of scientific discovery
**We will discuss The Scientific Method later in
the semester
SO WHY DO SCIENCE?
I -THE INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE
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Scientists become famous for discovering new
things that change how we think about nature
Many scientists find their greatest joy in a
previously unknown fact (a discovery) that
explains some problem previously not explained,
or overturns some previously accepted idea
Science is also the highest form
of teaching, as Scientists conduct
research which generates “new”
knowledge
SO WHY DO SCIENCE?
I -THE INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVE
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Science is also the highest form of teaching
University professors are expected as part of their
contractual obligations to do research that makes
new contributions to knowledge
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Performing science earns a good paycheck (usually)
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Scientists also work for corporations
non teaching, non sharing, for profit, patent protective
 knowledge generated is kept secret by the employers
for the development of new products or technologies
 get paid much better (x2)
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WHY DO SCIENCE?
II -THE SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVE
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The “smarter” the society the better it is…?
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capitalism vs. communism?
a “good” society seeks and desires to improve
people's lives
help avoid hardships
 plagues, floods, disasters
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humanity's increasing control over our planet
simple curiosity & possibly fear
 ability to leave our planet and
explore
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Find E.T. –before he finds us
WHY DO SCIENCE?
II -THE SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVE
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Science pushes the envelope of knowledge, which
pushes the envelope of development and
engineering, which are all prone to disaster
WHY DO SCIENCE?
II -THE SOCIETAL PERSPECTIVE
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Science is loaded with disaster
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misfortune or necessary risk
Science is also haunted by unethical behavior
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deliberate and horrific acts against humanity
conducted “in the name of scientific discovery”
Nazi Germany
 Spanish Inquisition
 US Mental Health
 Tuskegee Syphilis study
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IRB and Ethical Conduct of Research –later in the
semester
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT SCIENCE?
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Exercise SCIENCE major!
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Science will always move field forward
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Need to keep on pace changing theories and new
paradigms
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Things learned today may be outdated, obsolete or
even proven wrong tomorrow
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Always a need for the profession
HOW RESEARCH BECOMES
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
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Doing research in the lab or in the field may be science,
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but it isn't necessarily a contribution to knowledge until you
tell/teach someone
No one in the scientific community will place much
confidence in a piece of scientific research until it is
published in a peer-reviewed journal
You hear of groundbreaking research on the news all
the time;
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but nothing should be taken too seriously until publication of
the data
HOW RESEARCH BECOMES
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE
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That means Scientists must publish their work -write
a paper (called a "manuscript”)
Many, many, many journals…..Science or Nature are
THE BEST
 Impact factor rating scale
Science: 30.1 (2012)
 Medicine & Science in
Sports and Exercise
(ACSM): 3 (2012)
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SCIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
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Science does not presently, and probably never can,
give statements of absolute truth
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it only provides theories
With further detailed research, we know that those
theories will probably be refined in the future, and
may even be discarded in favor of theories that make
more sense in light of data generated by future
scientists
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The world is flat
AIDS is a gay male disease
WHAT SCIENCE ISN'T,
PART II: SCIENCE ISN'T ART
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Art is individualistic
Science attempts to remove
individualism
1) The conclusions reached have to be demonstrable
to others with physical evidence
 2) Science is reproducible; art is not
 3) Art should be beautiful; science doesn’t
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Kepler’s law of planetary motion
WHAT SCIENCE ISN'T,
PART III: SCIENCE IS NOT TECHNOLOGY
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People doing science often use sophisticated
technology, but science doesn't require it
In short, science often leads to technology, and it
often uses technology, but it isn't technology, and
in fact it can operate quite independently of
technology
WHAT SCIENCE ISN'T, PART IV: SCIENCE
ISN'T TRUTH AND IT ISN'T CERTAINTY
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Science seeks the truth, but most scientists will
concede that, although they seek truth, they don't
know or generate truth
They propose and test theories, knowing that
future evidence may cause refinement, revision,
or even rejection of today's theories