1. Nature of science
What is Science?
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Science is a way for humans to understand the natural world.
It is a process of searching for fundamental and universal principles that govern
causes and effects in the universe.
The process itself is a method of building, testing, and connecting falsifiable
models to describe, explain and predict a shared reality.
The method includes observation, hypothesis formulating and testing, and
conclusion drawing.
Science is a Way to Understand the Natural World
Science presumes that things and events in the universe occur in consistent patterns.
These patterns are comprehensible through careful and systematic study. Science also
assumes that the knowledge gained from studying one part of the universe is
applicable to other parts. For instance, the principles to explain the motion of falling
objects on the surface of the Earth also explain the motion of every falling thing in
everywhere. Indeed, science is a way to understand the natural world.
Science as a Process
Science is not just a collection of facts and theories. The process by which we develop
theories is science, not the theories themselves. The PROCESS used to develop the
theory is science. Humans have accumulated a vast amount of knowledge using a
variety of investigations or methods, some by scientific methods and some by other
methods.
Science Demands Evidence
Science relies on evidence. The validity of scientific claims is settled by referring to
evidence. Such evidence can be obtained by observations and measurements. Hence, a
great value is placed on the development of better instruments and techniques of
observations.
Science Explains and Predicts
Scientists strive to make sense of observations of phenomena by constructing
explanations for them. Such explanations can be used or are currently accepted as
scientific principles or theories. However, it is not enough for scientific theories to fit
only the observations that are already known, they should also fit additional
observations that were not used in formulating the theories in the first place. Hence,
scientific theories should have predictive power.
Scientific Knowledge is Durable
The growing capability of scientists to make accurate predictions about the natural
phenomena provides convincing evidence that enables us to gain our understanding of
how the world works. Although scientists reject the notion of attaining absolute truth
and accept some uncertainties, most scientific knowledge is durable. The modification
of ideas is a norm in science, this tends to survive and grow more precisely and to
become widely accepted. For example, in formulating the theory of relativity, Einstein
did not discard the Newtonian laws of motion but rather showed them to be only an
approximation of limited application within a more general concept.
Experiments Must Be Repeatable
It is not acceptable that only one person, or only one group of people can obtain
results that support a theory. Anyone using proper procedures must be able to achieve
the same result.
Scientific and Critical Thinking
When one uses scientific method to study or investigate the nature or the universe,
one is practicing scientific thinking. Critical thinking is the correct and precise
thinking for oneself that successfully leads to the most reliable answer to questions
and solution of problems.
Science Cannot Provide Complete Answer to All Questions
There are many matters by their nature cannot be proved or disproved, e.g. the
existence of supernatural powers and beings or the true purposes of life. Furthermore,
science cannot answer moral and ethical questions engendered by the matter of
abortion. Science simply cannot address moral, ethical, aesthetic, social and
metaphysical questions.
Theories Are Falsifiable
Scientific theories may be disproved. If we can’t prove it wrong, it is not a scientific
theory. The idea of a theory must be falsifiable is one of the most important aspects of
science. The theory, ‘beyond the Earth there is intelligent life in the universe,’ may be
true, but it is not a scientific theory since there is no way to prove it false.