Astronomy 122 OverviewAstronomy 122 Overview

Why should you care about the content of Why should you care about the content of this class? What does that content gain this class? What does that content gain you?you?Stellar evolution and production of new Stellar evolution and production of new

elements is the physical source for all life in elements is the physical source for all life in the Universe. Any educated person should the Universe. Any educated person should have some understanding of this process.have some understanding of this process.

Astronomy is a good vehicle for improving Astronomy is a good vehicle for improving overall science literacyoverall science literacy

Astronomy: A Unique ScienceAstronomy: A Unique Science

• Unlikely most any other science, we can not do laboratory experiments or make physical visits to the subjects of our inquiry

• Therefore we must make use of observations – because that is all we have

• Decoding the message of starlight and learning the physics from that message is a major point of emphasis in this class.

The Nature of Science

Ideas are supported by testable and verifiable data or observation

Science is a process or way to investigate nature.

Scientific knowledge doesn’t mean possessing the truth.

Science seeks consistency between observations and models

Science as a way of knowing

There is an independent reality (but do we detect that?)

Nature is understandable and predictable (if we know enough)

Observations and experiments are reproducible or they are invalid

Cause and effect relationships exist in nature

The world is neither arbitrary or magic

Quantitative Aspect of Science

Ordinary language is unable to capture scale of precision necessary for scientific discourse

Numbers and math are essential to discussion and understanding.

Consistent Units of measurement are required for knowledge transmission and verification of experiments/observations

The Inevitable Conflict

Science teaches us that we are in a partnership with nature.

Human institutions often charge than nature is subservient to humans

Our future is determined by which of these two philosophies is practiced – you can not do both

Wise planetary resource management requires science literacy!

In our coming time of dwindling natural resources we must exercise wisdom to realize a future.

Science can be a pathway to wisdom?

Are we humble enough to follow it?