1. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 The Scientific Method Chapter 4

2. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 Outline What is science? Traditional and contemporary views of the scientific method Elements of the scientific method Controversies (and conspiracies??) The limits of science New directions: LEK and TEK Environmental Assessment

3. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 What is “science”? A means of gaining knowledge –E.g. religion, humanities, experience Unique from other methods –Why??? The scientific method –Traditional Simplified view –Contemporary/complex view

4. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 The Scientific Method (traditional view)

5. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 The Scientific Method (contemporary view) Data Theories –Models that represents how a system works –Explain and predict, discard when it fails –E = mc 2 Shaping principles –A person’s world view

6. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 What is “science” A means of gaining knowledge Unique from other methods –E.g. religion, humanities, experience –Why???? The scientific method –Traditional Simplified view –Contemporary/complex view Quantitative v. Qualitative

7. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 Elements of the scientific method Hypothesis –Falsification and Karl Popper Simple v. complex systems –Physics (math) v. biology (statistics) Experiments –Thank you Mr. Galilee!!!! –Variables –Controlled experiment Reproducibility

8. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 Controversies New information Complex phenomena Bias Subjective values Conspiracies?

9. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 Conspiracies??? Grant writing Peer-review –Grants –Publications Question the dogmas –The way to get noticed

10. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 The Limits of Science Complex systems –Experiments not always possible –Scale, moral issues, cost, etc. Difficult to determine cause and effect –E.g. green house gases and climate change Disagreement in scientific community Science ≠ socio-economic issues

11. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 LEK and TEK Traditional science is inadequate to answer certain questions! Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) Meld LEK/TEK with traditional science

12. 18-Jan-05BIOL 2041 Environmental Assessement