T1 - the scientific method

Question 1

What is the definition of science?

Answer 1

The systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experimentation

Question 2

What is the definition of biology?

Answer 2

The science of life

Question 3

What is the scientfic method

Answer 3

An approach to knowledge acquisition that seeks to ensure our understanding is not shaped by personal beliefs/biases

Based on evidence

Question 4

What are the 2 types of science?

Answer 4

Descriptive: characterizing patterns, describing systems (describing the physical/natural world)

Hypothesis-testing: testing one of more causal explanations for an existing pattern (explaining observations of the physical/natural world)

Question 5

Why are the 2 types of sciences each important to the scientific method?

Answer 5

Descriptive - provides the grist for the hypothesis testinng method (provides the patterns and may suggest possible explanations)

Hypothesis testing - interprets patterns and in doing so provides the direction as to where to look for other patterns

Question 6

What is induction in reference to the scientific method?

Answer 6

Specific observations (patterns) are synthesized to produce a general statement or conclusion (particular to general)

However even if all axioms are true, the conclusion might not necessarily be true

Generalizations rather than specifics

Question 7

What is typically the source of biological hypotheses?

Answer 7

Induction - but this is not idea to test them

Question 8

What is an example of induction ?

Answer 8

Assuming that because this bird is a swan and it is white and another swan exhibits the same characteristics

The generalization is made that all swans are white

Question 9

What is deduction used for in hypothesis testing science?

Answer 9

Deduction is used to derive predictions and hence test hypotheses

Question 10

What is a hypothesis vs a prediction?

Answer 10

Hypothesis = a causal explanation for a given pattern

Prediction = statement of what will be observed under specific conditions if the hypothesis is true

A prediction only exists within the context of a hypothesis and a particular study

Question 11

What is an example of deduction?

Answer 11

Can be represented by a syllogism (if…then statements);

Premise 1: All birds have feathers
Premise 2: All robins are birds

Deduction = Therefore, all robins have feathers

Question 12

What is deduction in reference to the scientific method?

Answer 12

Form of reasoning from one or more general statements (premises) to a logical conclusion

Unlike induction there is no uncertainty; if the premises are true then the conclusion necessarily follows

wrt testing a scientific hypothesis, predictions must follow deductively from hypotheses

Question 13

What makes a scientific hypothesis?

Answer 13

In addition to being causal, all scientific hypotheses must also be refutable

A refutable hypothesis is one in which there are possible outcomes that are inconsistent with it

Question 14

What is an example of a falsifiable (refutable) scientific hypothesis?

Answer 14

“All lions are black”

This statement can be falsifiable if we can find at least one lion to prove this statement wrong.

Question 15

Can you prove a hypothesis? Why or why not?

Answer 15

Sir Karl Popper argued that science best proceedsby eliminating hypotheses, not by proving them

B/c, you cannot prove a hypothesis

Question 16

What is a logical fallacy? Give a general example

Answer 16

If H then P, P observed, therefore H is true

• Humidity is high because it rained last night (H)
• If it rained last night the garden will be wet (P)
• The garden is wet (P observed)
• Therefore, the high humidity is due to the rain last night

This argument is invalid because the conclusion could be incorrect even if P follows deductively from H and then P is observed

This is because H is not the only potential cause of P (observing P may support H, but not prove it)

Question 17

What are the 2 types of study?

Answer 17

1) Observational - researcher observes/measures/characterizes a system but does not alter it

2) Manipulative - (an experiment), the researcher changes something and compares what happens to a control (unmanipulated) treatment

The type is study is independent ofthe type of science

Question 18

What are examples of the 2 types of studies?

Answer 18

1) Observational - observing the phosphorus concentration (taking measurements)

2) Adding phosphorus into half a lake and not the other and comparing the two results

Question 19

What is inferential strength? Which study has a higher inferential strength than the other? Why is that the case?

Answer 19

A measure of how strongly the results support the conclusions

Manipulative studies have greater inferential strength than observation studies

• This is because manipulative studies better control for confounding variables

Question 20

What are confounding variables?

Answer 20

A separate and often unknown variabel that may be responsible for the observed pattern

Question 21

What is extrapolation?

Answer 21

Inferencing from the results of studies on model systems means that we assume that the model system behaves similarly to the actual system of interest

Model system = smaller in scale/simplified compared to the system of interest (models of the human body with similar body cells or structures)

The more extrapolation there is, the lower the inferential strength (less room for error)

Question 22

What is statistical hypothesis testing?

Answer 22

Understanding if the pattern in the results is real

• Is it the result of chance? Random sampling variation? Or is it actually a repeatable biological phenomenon?

Question 23

What are the 4 characteristics researchers require to be for knowledge acquisition?

Answer 23

1) Rational - to employ the scientific method

2) Skeptical - to seek to repeatedly and carefully scrutinize patterns and hypotheses, being willing to reject or modify hypotheses based on the evidence

3) Objective - being unbiased by preconceived notions, beliefs, ideologies…

4) Methodologicaly materialistic - restrict assumptions and explanations to the material world -> we dont consider the supernatural

Question 24

What is science vs pseudo-science?

Answer 24

Pseudo = studies that seek only to confirm beliefs

• These are often not skeptical, rational or objective (they want the hypothesis to be true and don’t seek to reject it)

Note: Just because one piece of evidence proves the hypothesis does not mean ALL evidence supports it

Question 25

What is a hypothesis vs a theory?

Answer 25

Theory = a hypothesis that has survived many attempts at falsification

Scientific theory = explanation of some aspect of the natural/physical world that has been repeatedly tested via scientific method

• when evidence is so overwhelming that we consider it fact