1. WHAT IS SCIENCE?

2. CONCEPT
Science is limited to studying only the problems of the natural world that can be understood by the processes of science.

3. SUB-CONCEPT 1
Science studies natural phenomena that can be observed, measured, and tested with our senses, directly or indirectly.

4. SUB-CONCEPT 2
Solving problems within the limits of science.

5. SUB-CONCEPT 3
Science assumes that the universe is orderly, reasonable, and testable.

6. SUB-CONCEPT 4
Scientific theories offer well-defined causes to explain natural phenomena.

7. SUB-CONCEPT 5
Scientific theories are always subject to change.

8. SUB-CONCEPT 6
Science does not have the answers to all of the questions in the universe, or the solutions to all human problems.

9. SCIENCE V. NON-SCIENCE
How can we tell?

10. CONPTT – SIX CRITERIA OF SCIENCE
1. Consistent – repeated observations and/or experiments are reasonably the same.

11. Which is scientific? A. Green plants will grow toward a light source.
B. Walking under a ladder will cause bad luck.

12. CONPTT – SIX CRITERIA OF SCIENCE
2. Observable – the event under study can be observed and explained.

13. Which can be observed scientifically?
A. Some plants eat meat.
B. Extraterrestrial beings have visited the Earth.

14. CONPTT – SIX CRITERIA OF SCIENCE
Natural – natural causes must explain events.

15. Which can be explained by a natural cause?
A. Green plants convert sunlight into energy.
B. Moses parted the Red Sea with a rod, so his people could cross to the other side.

16. CONPTT – SIX CRITERIA OF SCIENCE
Predictable – the natural cause can be used to make specific predictions.

17. Which has a natural cause that can be used to make predictions?
A. Without sunlight, green plants will die.
B. If you are a Scorpio, you are a wise person.

18. CONPTT – SIX CRITERIA OF SCIENCE
Testable – with controlled experimentation.

19. Which one can be scientifically tested?
A. The Bermuda Triangle causes ships and planes to disappear.
B. Life comes from life and can not come from non-living things.

20. CONPTT – SIX CRITERIA OF SCIENCE
Tentative – scientific theories are subject to revision and correction.

21. EMERGING SCIENCE V. NON-SCIENCE V. FALSE SCIENCE
EMERGING SCIENCE – consistent observations and predictions may be limited by our knowledge or technology.
NON-SCIENCE – does not meet the CONPTT criteria.
FALSE SCIENCE – non-science which is portrayed as science by its followers.

22. Science and Technology
Science gathers knowledge and organizes it.
Technology:
lets humans use the knowledge for practical purposes.
gives science the tools to conduct investigations.