What is Science?
Most recent answer: 10/22/2007
Q:
What is science
- monika (age 31)
musevi lisesi Istanbul, Istanbul Turkey
- monika (age 31)
musevi lisesi Istanbul, Istanbul Turkey
A:
"Science" comes from the Latin word for knowledge. The Scientific Method is a well defined approach for winnowing the truth from lies and delusion. The simple version looks something like this (copied fron the National Science Teachers Association):
1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have observed.
3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions.
4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in the light of your results.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment and/or observation.
When consistency is obtained the hypothesis becomes a theory and provides a coherent set of propositions which explain a class of phenomena. A theory is then a framework within which observations are explained and predictions are made.
1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have observed.
3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions.
4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in the light of your results.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment and/or observation.
When consistency is obtained the hypothesis becomes a theory and provides a coherent set of propositions which explain a class of phenomena. A theory is then a framework within which observations are explained and predictions are made.
(published on 10/22/2007)