What is Science Anyway? Is There Method in the Madness?

Transcription

1 What is Science Anyway? Is There Method in the Madness?

2 Agenda Introduction of what Science has been trying to accomplish from ancient times to the present. Is there a method to the approach? Some examples of types of Science that are amenable to this approach? Dishonesty? Dependable? Conclusions?

3 Charles Darwin - Evolution Premise Presumes the development of life from non-life and stresses a purely naturalistic (undirected) "descent with modification". Complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time through beneficial mutations over time Natural selection acts to preserve and accumulate minor advantageous genetic mutations The less complicated and shorter life spanned plant or animal is more likely to survive changes in environment Example Viruses mutate quickly man takes a long time

4 Relative Time - Geology The six main principles that geologists consider when determining relative time, include the following: Original Horizontality Lateral Continuity Superposition Cross-cutting Relationships Inclusion Faunal Succession

5 Scientific Method Start No one person can be credited as the inventor of the scientific method. Aristotle ( BCE) devised methods for trying to arrive at reliable knowledge based on observation Roger Bacon ( ), developed from writings of Muslim scientists, described a repeating cycle of observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and verification Galileo ( ) is generally credited with being the father of the scientific method Many more contributed to the way that we conduct science to complete the process as shown on the next slide..

6 Charles Darwin - Evolution Premise Presumes the development of life from non-life and stresses a purely naturalistic (undirected) "descent with modification". Complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time through beneficial mutations over time Natural selection acts to preserve and accumulate minor advantageous genetic mutations The less complicated and shorter life spanned plant or animal is more likely to survive changes in environment Example Viruses mutate quickly man takes a long time

7 Relative Time - Geology The six main principles that geologists consider when determining relative time, include the following: Original Horizontality Lateral Continuity Superposition Cross-cutting Relationships Inclusion Faunal Succession

8 New Enigmas Light can act as both a wave and a particle? We have light waves, electromagnetic waves, so we should have gravity waves how would one detect them? How many dimensions possibly exist? Can we travel faster than the speed of light from one place to another or are we doomed to slow travel? How many universes are there? Will man be the saver of planet Earth or its destroyer? We had a beginning but was it THE beginning or just a new phase of existence, or are we only one small place in a multitude of Universes?

9 The Method

10 Here is an Example Is the Sun Hot Test with thermometer temp should be higher in the sun Measure temp in dark and light Shows higher temperature in sun than in dark Measure temp in cloudy and sunny Shows higher temp in sun than in cloud Et Cetera Et. Cetera Since the Sun is Hot then it should warm the Earth Take measurements everywhere at all times of the year It is warmer on some parts of the Earth because the Sun is directly overhead The Sun is not only hot but warms the Earth Where there is a Sun and a body that goes around the Sun the body is warmed by the Sun

11 Constructing the Hypothesis The scientific method can be best described as procedures used to learn about our world. Science cannot prove or disprove nonquantifiable factors, such as ESP.

12 Constructing the Hypothesis Must be stated in a way that allows it to be tested. A testable hypothesis is one that at least potentially can be proved false.

13 Constructing the Hypothesis For example: There are no mermaids in the sea This is testable and can be proven false by finding a mermaid There are mermaids in the sea This cannot be proven false, as the true believer would say They are there, you just didn t find them

14 Constructing the Hypothesis Variables are factors that might affect observations Models with variables one can alter Laboratory analysis Ecological models difficult to alter the variables. Often only observations are used to determine differences based on variability. In Science - no absolute truths. No hypothesis can be absolutely proven true in all places at all times. Make the best evaluation of the hypothesis with available observable evidence.

15 What Is Bad About This? Nothing bad because without the method we would wander around without a process Good thing is the approach is based upon a method that allows for checks and balances. This is not a belief approach. This approach is an observation hypothesis -testing approach Why is that so hard to understand

16 Some Definitions Scientific hypotheses an unconfirmed explanation of an observation that can be tested Scientific method used to test hypotheses ways scientists gather data, formulate and test hypotheses. Peer review and publication widely accepted leads to scientific theories and laws. Scientific theories description of what we find happening through repeated observations verified and credible hypothesis Scientific (natural) laws description of what we find happening, and is proven over and over Frontier science preliminary results often subject to news stories Junk Science no peer review

17 Some Examples of Where The Method Works Very Well Some Basic Laws and Concepts

18 Chemistry

19 What is Matter? Atoms, ions and molecules Anything that has mass and takes up space. Two forms: Element distinctive building blocks of matter that make up every material substance Compound two or more different elements held together by chemical bonds

20 What are the Basic Types of Matter? Organic compounds Compounds containing carbon atoms combined with each other and with atoms of one or more other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, and fluorine. Inorganic compounds All compounds not classified as organic compounds.

21 The Law of Conservation of Matter Matter can be neither created or destroyed Matter only changes form (eg. Gas to liquid, solid to gas, solid to liquid, etc.) There is no away atoms cannot be destroyed, just rearranged. What are some examples of matter changing form? Ice Water, Water - Vapor, Mineral Elements or Compounds Elements, Fusion of Atoms New Elements

22 Physics

23 First Law of Thermodynamics Energy is neither created nor destroyed Energy can only change form (light to heat, friction to heat, etc.) You can t get something for nothing Or There is no such thing as a free lunch! ENERGY IN = ENERGY OUT Heat energy in absorbed Change surroundings Heat Energy out» OR You cannot win (that is, you cannot get something for nothing, because matter and energy are conserved).

24 Energy Kinetic Wind Electicity Flowing water Potential Water behind a dam Gasoline in your car Unlit match

25 Second Law of Thermodynamics In every transformation, some energy is converted to heat You cannot break even in terms of energy quality. (you cannot return to the same energy state, because there is always an increase in disorder; entropy always increases).

26 A Second Law of Thermodynamics Example Waste energy is low quality and cannot be reused

27 Third Law of Thermodynamics You cannot get out of the game (because absolute zero is unattainable).

28 Biology

29 Law of Tolerance The existence, abundance and distribution of a species is determined by levels of one or more physical or chemical factors.

30 Common Limiting Factors Limiting factors more important in regulating population growth than other factors. Terrestrial ecosystems (on land) precipitation temperature soil nutrients Aquatic ecosystems temperature sunlight nutrients dissolved oxygen salinity

31 Are Scientists Honest?

32 Dishonesty As scientists, we like to think that science is a bastion of virtue, untouched by science fraud There are motivators for scientists to commit misconduct money for research and fame are two There are no "scientific police" who are trained to fight scientific crimes; all investigations are made by experts in science but amateurs in dealing with criminals

33 Some Examples of Cheating Joachim Boldt (drug research), stripped of his professorship, under criminal investigation for possible forgery of up to 90 research studies. Ohio University had a plagiarism crisis in the 2000s when severe plagiarism in MS theses was discovered. This resulted in the firing of two tenured professors, Dr. Gunasekara and Dr. Mehta of the Mechanical Engineering Department and multiple institutional changes. Plagiarism included that by current professor at Miami University Eric Poehlman, a researcher on aging at the University of Vermont, was prosecuted for grant fraud in 2005 after falsifying data in as many as 17 grant applications in a period of over eight years. He was the first academic in the United States to be jailed for falsifying data in a grant application.

34 This May Put Cheating in Perspective

35 Can you Depend upon the results of Research to be Correct?