Science and Science and Scientific IlliteracyScientific Illiteracy

What is science? Carl Sagan stated:

Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge

1934 -

1996

Aristotle maintained that women have fewer Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by examining his wives’ this statement by examining his wives’ mouthsmouths

Bertrand, Lord Russel Bertrand, Lord Russel 19521952

Science is the study of nature in an Science is the study of nature in an attempt to understand it and to form an attempt to understand it and to form an organized body of knowledge that has organized body of knowledge that has predictive power and application in society predictive power and application in society (Chiappetta and Koballa Jr. 2006)(Chiappetta and Koballa Jr. 2006)

DefinitionDefinitionScience is a particular way of knowing the Science is a particular way of knowing the

world world So is philosophy or a talk show, or a fortune So is philosophy or a talk show, or a fortune

cookiecookieHowever: However:

In Science, explanations are limited to those In Science, explanations are limited to those based on observations and experiments that based on observations and experiments that can be verified by other scientistscan be verified by other scientists

Explanations that cannot be based on Explanations that cannot be based on empirical evidence are not part of scienceempirical evidence are not part of science

What is Empirical Evidence?

Evidence or data that is produced by experiment or observation

Example

Evolution vs. Intelligent Design

Evolution vs. Intelligent Design Evolution – all the changes that have formed life on Earth

from its earliest beginnings to the diversity that characterizes

Intelligent Design – The theory that holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection.

Why not teach both in a biology classroom? Because Intelligent Design is not based on science!

Evolution is based on science Intelligent Design is based on faith

Notice I did not say Intelligent Design was wrong!

No matter what eyewitness testimony is in the court of law, it is the lowest form of evidence in the court of science.

Science Is Not Based On Opinion!Science Is Not Based On Opinion! Scientific information is based on objective Scientific information is based on objective

reasoning through careful analysis of datareasoning through careful analysis of data

Data must be gathered without experimenter biasData must be gathered without experimenter biasCandle ActivityCandle Activity

Conclusions based on data need to made public and Conclusions based on data need to made public and scrutinized by the scientific communityscrutinized by the scientific communityhttp://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/http://people.eku.edu/ritchisong/

Bostrom_Ritchison_AMKE.pdfBostrom_Ritchison_AMKE.pdf

Scientific statements/information are not made Scientific statements/information are not made lightlylightly

What are so special about these What are so special about these dates?dates?

December 21, 2012December 21, 2012

April 13, 2029April 13, 2029

December 21, 2012

Mayan ProphecyGalactic alignmentEnd of the World

http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/watch/2009/11/12/will-2012-be-the-end

April 9, 2029

Asteroid Apophis

http://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/watch/2007/02/09/commonwealth-club-asteroid-apophis

How Do We Get Scientific How Do We Get Scientific Information?Information?

Scientific Methods or InquiryScientific Methods or Inquiry

ObservingObservingCollecting DataCollecting DataDeveloping a HypothesisDeveloping a HypothesisExperimentingExperimentingConcludingConcluding

•Observation•Hypothesis•Experiment•Data•Conclusion

What Students Love to Hear!What Students Love to Hear!

Science is Math and Math is ScienceScience is Math and Math is ScienceData collecting and how it is done is based on Data collecting and how it is done is based on

the statistics you choose to use for your studythe statistics you choose to use for your study

Four Themes of ScienceFour Themes of ScienceScience as a Way of ThinkingScience as a Way of ThinkingScience as a Way of InvestigatingScience as a Way of InvestigatingScience as a Body of KnowledgeScience as a Body of KnowledgeScience and Its Interaction with Science and Its Interaction with

Technology and SocietyTechnology and Society

Science as a Body of KnowledgeScience as a Body of Knowledge

FactsFactsFoundations for principles, concepts, and Foundations for principles, concepts, and

theoriestheoriesRaw material with little meaningRaw material with little meaning

ConceptsConceptsAn abstraction of events, objects, or An abstraction of events, objects, or

phenomena that seem to have certain phenomena that seem to have certain properties or attributes in commonproperties or attributes in common

Science as a Body of KnowledgeScience as a Body of Knowledge

TheoriesTheoriesUsed to explain underlying patterns and Used to explain underlying patterns and

forcesforcesA logical, time-tested explanation for events A logical, time-tested explanation for events

that occur in the natural worldthat occur in the natural worldCan be disprovedCan be disproved

Example:

Kinetic Theory or Kinetic Theory of Gases

Science as a Body of KnowledgeScience as a Body of Knowledge

Laws and PrinciplesLaws and Principles

Higher order ideas used to describe Higher order ideas used to describe phenomena and patterns in nature under phenomena and patterns in nature under certain conditionscertain conditions

Key point to remember is a law describes and Key point to remember is a law describes and predicts but does not explain the phenomenapredicts but does not explain the phenomena

Example

Newton’s Laws of Motion

Why Should I Care About Why Should I Care About Science?Science?

Science and SocietyScience and Society

“ “ The whole of science is nothing more than a The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.”refinement of everyday thinking.”

Einstein, 1954, p. 283Einstein, 1954, p. 283

The knowledge gained from science is meant to The knowledge gained from science is meant to help better societyhelp better society

Science is not meant to try and tell society how to act Science is not meant to try and tell society how to act or liveor live

Need to be cautious with different cultures and beliefsNeed to be cautious with different cultures and beliefs

Science and SocietyScience and Society

BenefitsBenefits Advances in medicineAdvances in medicine Cleaner fuelsCleaner fuels Advances in technologyAdvances in technology

Negative Impacts Society has on ScienceNegative Impacts Society has on Science MisunderstandingMisunderstanding Funding – Most major grants are federalFunding – Most major grants are federal

What happens when there is a war?What happens when there is a war? What happens when the administration has a different philosophy with What happens when the administration has a different philosophy with

funding agencies?funding agencies?

What is at the center of our solar system?

Sun

Has this always been true?

No > 300 years you could have been stripped, tied to

a stake and burned to death for saying the Earth was not at the center of the universe

Giordano Bruno

Stated the sun was one of an infinite number of independently moving heavenly bodies in the universe

What do you think happened to Giodarno?

The church burned him alive!!!

It is astonishing to realize that until Galileo performed his experiments on the acceleration of gravity in the early seventeenth century, nobody questioned Aristotle's falling balls. Nobody said, Show Me!

Neil Degrasse Tyson, Universe Down To Earth, p. 17

DHMO

Dihydrogen Monoxide

http://www.dhmo.org/

Yes, DHMO is dangerous in quantity!

It is called drowning!!!!!!!!!!!!

DHMO = H2O = Water

ExamplesExamples

Can You Believe This?Can You Believe This? A court case a couple of decades ago, where the A court case a couple of decades ago, where the

person being indicted stated the moon was in a person being indicted stated the moon was in a particular phase. The prosecution brought in an particular phase. The prosecution brought in an astronomer to counter argue that the moon was in astronomer to counter argue that the moon was in a different phase than the one suggested. The a different phase than the one suggested. The judge asked how the astronomer knew this and the judge asked how the astronomer knew this and the astronomer showed the judge the Astronomical astronomer showed the judge the Astronomical Almanac which gives the dates and phases of the Almanac which gives the dates and phases of the moon. The judge threw out the astronomers moon. The judge threw out the astronomers testimony saying that we can’t predict the phases of testimony saying that we can’t predict the phases of the moon any better than the weather. the moon any better than the weather.

What are they thinking?

Italian scientists face manslaughter charges for failure to predict earthquake

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/03/italy-scientists-risk-earthquake-death-charges

What is Science?What is Science?

Science is the study of nature in an Science is the study of nature in an attempt to understand it and to form an attempt to understand it and to form an organized body of knowledge that has organized body of knowledge that has predictive power and application in society predictive power and application in society (Chiappetta and Koballa Jr. 2006)(Chiappetta and Koballa Jr. 2006)