Topic 1 - Introduction Flashcards
what word does science derive from?
The word science is derived from a Latin verb Scientia meaning “to know”
what is science? what question does it answer? (5 points)
• Objective analysis of any occurrence
• Determining principles from observations
• Seeks natural causes for natural phenomena
• Process of inquiry that includes repeatable observations and testable hypotheses
Answering the question: “how”
what is a hypothesis? (3)
• Statement about observation that can be tested experimentally for acceptance or rejection
• Proposed explanation for a phenomenon
Makes predictions that are falsifiable
what is an experiment? goals?
• Methodical procedure
• To test hypothesis designed to eliminate other explanations
Goal: verification, falsification, or establishment of the validity of a hypothesis
describe a controlled experiment?
• Most common in biology
• An experiment designed to test the effects of independent variables on a dependent variable by changing one independent variable at a time
Always come up with a null hypothesis
what is the scientific method?
• Used in scientific investigations of the natural world, which includes developing and testing hypotheses, designing controlled experiments, and gathering
data
what is the Hypothetico-deductive method?
• An approach to problem solving involving:
Inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning
describe inductive reasoning
• Specific -> general conclusions
Asking a question and formulating a tentative answer or hypothesis
describe deductive reasoning
• General -> specific conclusions
• Making prediction from hypothesis
Testing validity of those predictions
look at scientific method chart in notes
ok
what is a theory?
• A well substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world based on body of facts that have been repeatedly confirmed through observation and experiment
Hypothesis that is supported by a great deal of evidence and a majority of experts
name two important theory examples
• Darwins theory of natural selection (1859)
Einsteins theory of relativity ( 1905, 1916)
why is biology the decathlon of sciences? (7)
• Levels of organization
• Diversity (great)
• Advances in knowledge (ever increasing)
• Specialization yet strong unifying themes
• Many chemical pathways similar
• Same genetic code
Evolutionary relatedness
what causes emergent properties? are they unique?
• Emergent properties due to arrangement and interaction of parts
• Emergent properties not unique to life
properties emerge at each step that were not present at the previous level
* For example a box of bicycle parts will not take you anywhere * Assembled correctly it will
what is reductionism?
• The power and limitations of reductionism
• Reductionism- reduction of complex systems to simpler components
The approach of reducing complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable to study
• Powerful strategy in biology
For example, studying molecular structure of DNA helps to understand inheritance
describe systems approach in biology - an attempt to understand the behavior of entire biological systems
• Understanding of biology balances reductionism with study of emergent properties
An approach that attempts to mode the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems based on a study of the interactions among the systems parts
• A system- combination of components that function together • Systems biology constructs models for dynamic behaviour of biological systems The systems approach poses qu
• The systems approach poses questions such as:
• How does a drug for blood pressure affect other organs?
How does increasing CO2 alter the biosphere?
how are organisms related to their environment?
• Every organism interacts with its environment
• Includes non living factors and other organisms
Both organisms and their environment are affected by the interactions between them
why is evolution important?
• Evolution, the overarching theme of biology
• Evolution makes sense of everything we know about biology
Organisms are modified descendants of common ancestors
Evolution: underlying principle
• “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution” - theodosius Dobzhansky 1964
One must understand the knowledge and theory of evolution even if they don’t believe it
what are the levels of organization?
biosphere, ecosystems, communities, populations, organisms, organs, tissues, cells, organelles, molecules
