1. Nature of Science
Dr. Charles Ophardt
EDU 370

2. Nature of Science Interconnected and validated ideas
Successive generations have increasing comprehensive understandings
Specific and particular ways of thinking - observing, experimenting, and validating
Different from other modes of knowing.

3. Scientific World View
Basic beliefs and attitudes about the nature of the world and what can be learned from it.
World is Understandable
Things and events are consistant patterns that are comprehensible
Careful and systematic study

4. Scientific World View II
Scientific Ideas are Subject to Change
Science is a process of producing knowledge through observations
Invent theories to make sense of observations
New observations make changing theories inevitable
Can only produce "possible" to "highly probable" explanations for natural phenomena; these are never certainties.

5. Scientific World View III
Scientific Knowledge is Durable
Absolute truth attainment rejected
Knowledge, ideas, theories are modified
Theories become more precise and widely accepted

6. Scientific World View IV
Science Cannot Answer All Questions
Beliefs can not be proven or disproven
Cannot settle questions of “good or evil”
Must be able to control variables and carry out experiments.

7. Scientific Inquiry
Science disciplines united in reliance on observation, evidence, hypothesis, theories, logic
Science Demands Evidence
Observations, measurements, accurate data
Use own senses or instruments
Probe natural world

8. Scientific Inquiry II Science Explains and Predicts
Make sense of observations
Make explanations and theories
Logically sound
Incorporate significant body of observations

9. Scientific Inquiry III
Science is not a process in which one solution is as good as another, or is simply a matter of opinion.
In science, there is rigorous analysis fair-test comparison of alternative explanations, using discriminate criteria
Confirm by multiple independent lines of evidence, leading to one "best” solution.

10. Scientific Inquiry IV Scientists Try to Identify and Avoid Bias
Claims must be based on evidence
Evidence can be biased in interpretation, recording, or reporting of data
Which data are chosen?
Unconscious racial bias, gender bias, social status, source of funding, or political leanings can and do influence one's perceptions and interpretations.

11. Scientific Inquiry V Science is not Authoritarian
Appropriate to turn to knowledgeable sources of information and opinion
Esteemed authorities may be wrong and do not define what is true
No pre-established conclusions

12. Scientific Enterprise
Has individual, social, and institutional dimensions
A major feature of the contemporary world
Science is a Complex Social Activity
Many individuals doing many kinds of work and study

13. Scientific Enterprise II
Organized by Disciplines
Generally Accepted Ethical Principles
Strongly held traditions of accurate records, data, peer review, attribution of prior work
Do not falsify data or findings or withhold information

14. Scientific Enterprise III
Participate in Public Affairs as Scientists and as Citizens
Bring insights and skills to bear on matters of public concern
Help to understand likely causes
Help to estimate possible effects of projected policies

15. Distinguishing Science and Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience is indifferent to criteria of valid evidence.
Always avoids putting its claims to a meaningful test.
Pseudoscience depends on arbitrary conventions of human culture, rather than on unchanging regularities of nature.

16. Distinguishing Science and Pseudoscience II
Pseudoscience appeals to false authority, to emotion, sentiment, or distrust of established fact.
Pseudoscience makes extraordinary claims and advances fantastic theories that contradict what is known about nature.
Evidence for a discovery is anecdotal.
The discoverer must propose new laws of nature to explain an observation.

17. Questions I
Describe the nature of Scientific Ideas or Theories. Which statement is false?
A. A scientific theory is used to predict future events.
B. Predictions are compared to reality.
C. If the prediction does not occur exactly as the theory predicted , the entire theory is disproven.
D. Theories become more precise and widely accepted with time

18. Questions II Describe the nature of science. Which statement is false?
A. Science Cannot Answer All Questions
B. Beliefs can be proven or disproven
C. Cannot settle questions of “good or evil”
D. Science is able to control variables and carry out experiments.

19. Questions III
Describe the nature of science. Which statement is false?
A. Science is Authoritarian
B. It is appropriate to turn to knowledgeable sources of information and opinion
C. Esteemed authorities may be wrong and do not define what is true
D. There are no pre-established conclusions

20. Questions IV Describe the nature of science. Which statement is false?
A. Science is Authoritarian
B. It is appropriate to turn to knowledgeable sources of information and opinion
C. Esteemed authorities may be wrong and do not define what is true
D. There are no pre-established conclusions

21. Questions V Describe the nature of science. Which statement is false?
A. Science disciplines rely on observation, evidence, hypothesis, theories, logic
B. Science demands evidence for theories
C. Pseudoscience observations are repeatable or verifiable
D. All relevant observations are considered

22. Questions VI Describe the nature of science. Which statement is false?
A. Science explains and predicts
B. Science makes sense of observations
C. Makes explanations and theories
D. Science can perform controlled experiments to study phenomena of interest
E. Scientific ideas are absolutely proven

23. Questions VII
Describe the nature of science. Which statements are false?
A. The natural world is understandable
B. Scientific Laws are not subject to change
C. Scientific knowledge is durable
D. Science can answer all questions
E. Science demands evidence
F. Science explains and predicts
G. Scientists try to identify and avoid bias
H. Science is authoritarian

24. References
Science for All Americans