What is science?

Question 1

Is science natural?

Answer 1

• No
• It is a product of human labour

Question 2

What are the errors of the definition: ‘Science is what scientists do and consider to be science’?

Answer 2

• They could be mistaken in a field they don’t know about
• Does not explain WHY something is a science
  
  • Only works as a description of ‘what’ science is

Question 3

Describe peer reviewing

Answer 3

• Central principle of academic world
  
  • Academics judge what is proper knowledge (in their field)
  • Academics are judged by other academics (peers)

Question 4

Why do some scientists dislike peer reviewing?

Answer 4

• Can be considered as censorship → Can’t say what they want to say

Question 5

What is the definition of science according to the British Science Council?

Answer 5

• “Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence”

Question 6

What are the important elements of the British Science Council’s definition of science?

Answer 6

• Science is something done (the pursuit) not the result
• Systematic methodology (how?)
• Based on evidence

Question 7

What should scientific methodology include? (7)

Answer 7

• Objective observation → Measurement and data
• Evidence
• Experiment and/or observation as benchmarks for testing hypotheses
• Induction: Reasoning to establish general rules or conclusions drawn from facts or examples
• Repetition
• Critical analysis
• Verification and testing
  
  • Scrutiny
  • Peer review

Question 8

What is the definition rule?

Answer 8

• Is it supposed to be descriptive or prescriptive?
  
  • Descriptive = Everything that is science is covered
  • Prescriptive = Needs to cover certain criteria

Question 9

What are disciplinary chauvinisms?

Answer 9

• Thinking that your practice is better than others
  
  • Need to instead recognise that other people’s expertise is valuable

Question 10

How did Ernest Rutherford describe science?

Answer 10

• “Science is either physics or stamp collecting”

Question 11

What are the elements of Rutherford’s statement?

Answer 11

• Scientific Reductionism
  
  • Physics = Studies the most fundamental properties of matter
  • Therefore most basic study of nature
• Maturation of Science
  
  • Science improves overtime and becomes more exact
  • Therefore every discipline will mature enough to be called a science

Question 12

Compare historical to experimental science

Answer 12

• Historical
  
  • Includes their own history
  • Works with objects found in real life
• Experimental
  
  • Construct objects in laboratory

Question 13

How do you distinguish science and humanities? (3)

Answer 13

• Nature V Culture
• Generalisations
  
  • General knowledge = Universal
  • Individual cases = Particular historical occurrence or a single author
• Cultural Differences
  
  • Different knowledge and sets of values
  • Lab V Library culture