chapter1 Flashcards
what is science?
- process
- body of knowledge
as a process: science is a way of knowing through doing
science as a process is often presented as a step by step procedure
where do theories come from?
after many hypothesis have been tested an overall theory is developed to explain a large number of observations
use of hypothesises
testable
relate to some known mechanism
trial and error process
process of elimination through:
reasoning
empirical testing: experiments or observations
use of technology
increases our ability to make observations and have to have them be objective
2 types pf knowledge
observations
explanations: hypotheses and theories
2 types of explanations
hypothesis: tentative explanations
theories: widely accepted and proven explanations of a large number of observations
all living things share the same properties
- common chemical structure
- common physiology
- inherited genetic program
- capacity for self regulation
- capacity to sense and respond to stimuli in environment
- capacity to grow and reproduce
- capacity to bind and release energy
- capacity to evolve
historical views of life
mechanistic view: living things are no different from non-living things and can be described ny the law of physics and chem
rene decartes
1596-1650
we have to treat humans different from everything else
an automoton
vitalistic view
living things have special properties and connot be described using the laws of physics and chem
according to the vitalitic view, the mechanistic view doesnt explain:
self regulation
growth and development reproduction
ajusting to environmental conditions
protoplasm
life has some unique force, energy or substance
organicist view:
living things can be described by the law of physics and chem but are unique to their: organization and genetic programming
