What is science and what isn t science?

Transcription

1 THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE

2 SCIENCE

3 What is science and what isn t science? Boiling an egg Predicting the weather Mapping a mountain Drilling for oil Choosing a new camera Eating a salad Watering a potted plant Baking a cake by following a recipe

4 The Sciences Biology Chemistry Physics Environmental Systems (?) Design Technology(?) Geology (?) Computer Science (?) Psychology (?) Geography (?) Mathematics (?) History (?)

5 A body of knowledge? Or a way of thinking?

6 ACTIVITY- One Person s Hypothesis is Another Person s Dogma THE THREE MARTIANS Three Martians, A, B and C, were crossing the Great Victoria Desert when they came upon an object. ( A thermometer)

7 One Person s Hypothesis is Another Person s Dogma Having observed it for a few days, they realize that there is something inside it (the column of mercury) which at different times can be seen in different positions.

8 One Person s Hypothesis is Another Person s Dogma They discuss the possible reasons for such strange behaviour Martian A- proposes the hypothesis that the Martian A- proposes the hypothesis that the behaviour is related to the time of day. This would explain why at night the column drops, and why it rises during the day.

9 One Person s Hypothesis is Another Person s Dogma Martian B- suggests that the reason must be heat and cold,which also would explain why it drops at night and rises during the day.

10 One Person s Hypothesis is Another Person s Dogma Martian C- says that both A and B are wrong. The real reason for the movement lies in the nature of the enclosed substance that is animated by invisible spirits who adopt a capricious behaviour when imprisoned. These spirits make the substance rise or fall whenever they feel like it. This would explain what both the other hypotheses have explained; moreover, it would explain any variation, at any time and under any circumstances.

11 One Person s Hypothesis is Another Person s Dogma Imagine all possible reasons in defence of your hypothesis..

12 One Person s Hypothesis is Another Person s Dogma How is each hypothesis formed? How do they differ? Why do they differ if all three are Martians? What are the roles of intuition, prejudice, inductive and deductive thinking in forming the hypothesis? What assumptions of beliefs are behind each hypothesis? How do these beliefs affect the questions the Martians will ask?

13 One Person s Hypothesis is Another Person s Dogma What are the requirements of any hypothesis in science? How would you test each hypothesis? What would count as evidence against What would count as evidence against each hypothesis?

14 The basic scientific method Observation Inductive logic Generalize Theory Information Deductive logic Explanation and prediction

15 The Sciences What is the role of creativity in science? Can we compare the creation of a research method to a piece of art?

16 What counts as an experiment? Can experiments be undertaken in other subjects? Are there some necessary conditions for an ativity to be an experiment? EG: Hypotheses, data,manipulation of variables,observations, generalisations and expectations of outcomes?

17 A good experiment should have the following features: Controllability- varying one factor at a time so you can see its effect Measurability-you can measure the relevant variables (for precision and objectivity) Repeatability- your experiment can be repeated by other people who will be able to confirm your results

18 Problems with observation Question Imagine you are interested in finding out why some students catch a cold in winter and some don t. Which of the following factors would you consider relevant? FACTORS. A) Diet B) Exercise C)Domestic heating D) Warmth of clothing E) Colour of underwear F) Middle name G) Movies watched

19 Relevance We begin with some idea about what is and isn t relevant to the problem.. However, the selective nature of perception can make it possible to overlook some important factors.. EG: When you do an experiment in EG: When you do an experiment in chemistry, you do not count how many people are in the room. However, this will affect the temperature of the room, which in a sensitive experiment can affect the speed of the chemical reaction!

20 Some resources What Is This Thing Called Science? Author: Alan Chalmers An Introduction to Philosophical Analysis Author: John Hosper The Logic of Scientific Discovery Author: Karl Popper