Nature of Science Science 1101

Nature of Science Environmental Science Outline: Outline: Science As a Way of Knowing Science As a Way of Knowing  Scientific Design  Reasoning  Scientific Theory

Nature of Science Environmental Science Outline: Outline: Approaches to Thinking Approaches to Thinking History of Environmentalism History of Environmentalism Human Dimensions Human Dimensions  Rich and Poor

Nature of Science Environmental Science Science of the Environment Circumstances and conditions that surround an organism or group of organisms. Science of the Environment Circumstances and conditions that surround an organism or group of organisms. Social and cultural conditions that affect an individual or community man Social and cultural conditions that affect an individual or community man

Nature of Science Environmental Science

Nature of Science Environmental Science Environmental Science: is the systematic study of our environment and our place in it. Highly Interdisciplinary Highly Interdisciplinary Inclusive Inclusive Holistic Holistic Mission-Oriented Mission-Oriented

Nature of Science Environmental Science SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Science rests on the assumptions the world is knowable through empirical study and logical analysis. Reduces tendency to rely on emotional reactions and unexamined assumptions. Reduces tendency to rely on emotional reactions and unexamined assumptions.  Searches for testable evidence.  Explanations are considered provisional.  Additional evidence may disprove current theories.

Nature of Science Environmental Science SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Scientists collaborate in a cumulative, self-correcting process. Many people often work on many different aspects of a problem. Many people often work on many different aspects of a problem. Creativity, insight, aesthetics and even luck play important roles in scientific research Creativity, insight, aesthetics and even luck play important roles in scientific research

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Scientific Design: Reproducibility Experiments must be designed and recorded such that other researchers can exactly reproduce them. Experiments must be designed and recorded such that other researchers can exactly reproduce them. Controlled Studies Comparisons are made between experimental and control populations. Comparisons are made between experimental and control populations.  Every factor except the one being studied is held constant

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Hypotheses and Theories: Hypothesis Conditional explanations that can be tested by further observation or experiment. Conditional explanations that can be tested by further observation or experiment.  Logically, a hypothesis based on inductive reasoning can be shown to be wrong, but can almost never be shown to be unquestionably true.  Evidence is always provisional

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Scientific Theory:

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Scientific Theory:

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Scientific Theory:

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Scientific Theory:

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Scientific Theory:

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Scientific Theory:

Nature of Science Environmental Science. SCIENCE AS A WAY OF KNOWING: Statistics and Probability: Probability An attempt to measure and predict the likelihood of an event. An attempt to measure and predict the likelihood of an event. Sample Size A critical experimental variable is the number of observations necessary in order to have a reliable representation of a population. A critical experimental variable is the number of observations necessary in order to have a reliable representation of a population.

Nature of Science Environmental Science Approaches to Knowledge and Thinking: Analytical Thinking Analytical Thinking  How can I break this problem into parts? Creative Thinking Creative Thinking  How can I approach this differently? Logical ThinkingLogical Thinking  How can deductive reasoning help?

Nature of Science Environmental Science Approaches to Knowledge and Thinking: Critical Thinking Critical Thinking  What am I trying to do? Reflective Thinking Reflective Thinking  What does it all mean?

Nature of Science Environmental Science Approaches to Knowledge and Thinking:

Nature of Science Environmental Science Approaches to Knowledge and Thinking: Identify and evaluate premises and conclusions in an argument. Identify and evaluate premises and conclusions in an argument. Acknowledge and clarify uncertainties, vagueness, equivocation, and contradictions. Acknowledge and clarify uncertainties, vagueness, equivocation, and contradictions. Distinguish between facts and values. Distinguish between facts and values. Recognize and assess assumptions. Recognize and assess assumptions. Distinguish source reliability or unreliability. Distinguish source reliability or unreliability. Recognize and understand conceptual frameworks. Recognize and understand conceptual frameworks.

Nature of Science Environmental Science

Global Concerns: An increased travel and communication enables person to know about daily events in places unknown in previous generations. An increased travel and communication enables person to know about daily events in places unknown in previous generations.  Common environment shared on a global scale.

Nature of Science Environmental Science. CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS: Causes of Environmental Degradation More than 6 billion people now occupy the earth, and we add about 85 million more each year. More than 6 billion people now occupy the earth, and we add about 85 million more each year. Most growth will be in poorer countries where present populations already strain resources and services Most growth will be in poorer countries where present populations already strain resources and services

Nature of Science Environmental Science. Rich and Poor Countries: Causes of Environmental Degradation About 20% of the world's population live in the twenty richest countries. About 20% of the world's population live in the twenty richest countries.  Average per capita income above $25,000

Nature of Science Environmental Science. Rich and Poor Countries: Causes of Environmental Degradation Other 80% live in middle or low- income countries. Other 80% live in middle or low- income countries.  Ten poorest countries each have average per capita income of less than $ Richest 200 people in the world have a combined wealth of $1 trillion. Richest 200 people in the world have a combined wealth of $1 trillion.  More than total owned by poorest half of the world population (3 billion)