The ultimate goal of science: Defensible explanatory accounts of the way the natural world works.

How do various forms of scientific knowledge contribute to this goal?  Theories  Laws  Models  Hypotheses  Theories  Laws  Models  Hypotheses

Models:generators of ideas to test  The most broadly applied of all forms of knowledge  They are representations of how something is structured or how something works  They are the “testable” subsets of theories  Note! People typically believe models are only the outcome of investigation, but their primary purpose in science is to generate novel and productive ideas to test.  The most broadly applied of all forms of knowledge  They are representations of how something is structured or how something works  They are the “testable” subsets of theories  Note! People typically believe models are only the outcome of investigation, but their primary purpose in science is to generate novel and productive ideas to test.

Hypotheses-- Are testable “pieces” of models If, in my current model, _____ is true, then I would expect ____ to happen in my study because________.

Theories= explanation/ cause  Explanations of how some aspect of the natural world works (statements of cause or underlying mechanisms)  They make statements that go beyond what is directly observable  Explanations of how some aspect of the natural world works (statements of cause or underlying mechanisms)  They make statements that go beyond what is directly observable

Laws=description  Descriptions of relationships in systems in the natural world  Laws do not offer explanations  Note! Theories never “become” laws, but theories can help explain why laws seem to “work”  Descriptions of relationships in systems in the natural world  Laws do not offer explanations  Note! Theories never “become” laws, but theories can help explain why laws seem to “work” TheoriesLaws