The Nature of Science The Nature of Science refers to the way scientific knowledge is developed. This is a general definition A better description of the way scientific knowledge is developed is…… 1) Scientific knowledge is TENTATIVE. Tentative means “subject to change” Sometimes scientific knowledge changes Examples:

The Nature of Science 1) Scientific knowledge is TENTATIVE. 2) Scientific knowledge is EMPIRICALLY-BASED. Empirical Based means… …based on experiment, experimental data. …based on observations and inferences. Scientific knowledge is developed by making inferences after collecting data, from experiments and observations. ??? Observation vs. Inference ???

The Nature of Science ??? Observation vs. Inference ??? What is an observation? How are observations made? An OBSERVATION is information collected with the senses. What is an INFERENCE? An INFERENCE explains observations. practice

The Nature of Science 1) Scientific knowledge is TENTATIVE. 2) Scientific knowledge is EMPIRICALLY-BASED. 3) Scientific knowledge is SUBJECTIVE. Subjective means “based on an individuals own thoughts and experiences” Examples: Who is tall? What is “Good Music”?

The Nature of Science 1) Scientific knowledge is TENTATIVE. 2) Scientific knowledge is EMPIRICALLY-BASED. 3) Scientific knowledge is SUBJECTIVE. 4) Scientific knowledge is built up by creativity and imagination. Scientist use their creativity and imagination to study and understand natural phenomena and to solve the problems.

The Nature of Science 1) Scientific knowledge is TENTATIVE. 2) Scientific knowledge is EMPIRICALLY-BASED. 3) Scientific knowledge is SUBJECTIVE. 4) Scientific knowledge is built up by creativity and imagination. 5) Scientific knowledge is Socially and Culturally embedded. Scientists are influenced by their societal and cultural values. Society rules and cultural rules often dictate what type of science is acceptable. Examples: Stem Cell Research: Is it right or wrong? Prescription medicine vs. natural treatment Western Medicine vs. Eastern Medicine

The Nature of Science Categories of Scientific knowledge: Observations/Data/Inferences,Hypothesis,Law.Theory, Social & Cultural Context. Relationship of the categories of Scientific knowledge: Observations/Data/Inferences, Hypothesis, Theory, Law Social & Cultural Context

The Nature of Science Scientific Law vs. Scientific Theory What is the difference? Boyle’s LawKinetic Molecular Theory Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance Chromosome Theory Newton’s Laws of Motion Quantum Theory Scientific LawsScientific Theories

The Nature of Science Scientific Law vs. Scientific Theory Scientific Laws: Scientific Theories: State, identify, or describe relationships among observable phenomena. Inferred explanation for observable phenomena. Based on observations Based on inferences

Scientific Method(s) Curiosity Results Observations/Measurements Hypothesis Testing/Experiments Theory consistent results inconsistent results Model General Format Law

Review Read the following sentences, underline the observation and circle the inference. The dinosaurs were fighting because all the fossilized footprints were jumbled up together. The sky was changing colors from dark to light because the sun is rising. Jenny’s mom burned dinner downstairs and Jenny could hear the smoke detector upstairs. The kitchen is warmer than inside the freezer, so Emmanuel Lewis’s ice cubes were melting on the counter.

Review Answers The dinosaurs were fighting because all the fossilized footprints were jumbled up together. The sky was changing colors from dark to light because the sun is rising. Jenny’s mom burned dinner downstairs and Jenny could hear the smoke detector upstairs.

The kitchen is warmer than inside the freezer, so Emmanuel Lewis’s ice cubes were melting on the counter.