Science and Society: Lecture Notes

November 14, 2011 "We can do no great things; only small things with great love." The Practice of Science Science: ^ knowledge ^ systematic and orderly ^ classic - systematized and orderly body of knowledge - the GREEKS * Greeks - considered classical because they set the standards in Western civilization based on order and system ^ tragedy or comedy - only two plots - we've been trained to understand science in a neat and perfect way - normality- everything that fits into the system, anything else is abnormal - things will work only/given this and this. - rigid- it seems that there's only one correct answer - if you're just beginning to thing and you're tied up to this, you won't like it. This definition is restrictive. November 16, 2011 (photo-inset) what does this mean? Solids- molecules are more fixed, 0 degrees Kelvin - relative Projectile motion - parabolic curve that is defined by an equation - represents consistency FORMULA ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE IF THE DEFINED ORDER affected by gravity - trajectory case Normal Science - natural science that is observed more regularly (commonly observed phenomenon) thus science is empirical (something that you can measure) - observed and verified - COLLECTION: consistent; coherent (no other observation that will contradict the fact); constructive (every finding is based on something that can lead to something else) * Anomalies - Hierarchy - in terms of scientific statements * simple observations - descriptions of the world * specific relationships - theories - statements of relationships only! Volume & temp = direct relationship * fundamental principles - referring to the natural laws (laws that explain or define natural phenomenon - principle of conservation) Paradigm - a model - model : theme, structures, proceedings Science - rational INQUIRY into nature * rational - logical/perspective - an agreed upon process that is acceptable at least to a culture * nature - physical world

Object of inquiry(nature)(measurable