GEC108: Science, Technology, and Society PDF

GEC108: Science, Technology, and Society I. GENERAL CONCEPTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY (STS) AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT Lesson 2. Section 1. WHAT MAKES SCIENCE? Humans > Ideas > Understanding of Human Species through ways of observing, thinking, experimenting, and validating –...

GEC108: Science, Technology, and Society I. GENERAL CONCEPTS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY (STS) AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT Lesson 2. Section 1. WHAT MAKES SCIENCE? Humans > Ideas > Understanding of Human Species through ways of observing, thinking, experimenting, and validating – this is the foundation of science. Characteristics that make Science: 1. Science seeks to explain the natural world and its explanations are tested by gathering evidence through our sense and extension of our senses: The basis of any scientific understanding is information derived from observations of nature. Real materials and observations are the ultimate tests of any concept. Evidence is the basic stuff of science. 2. Scientific ideas are developed through reasoning: Inferences are logical conclusions based on observable facts; a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning. Much of what we know from scientific study is based on inferences from data. 3. Scientific claims are based on testing explanations against observations of natural world. Those that fail the test are rejected: Scientific explanations are evaluated based on evidences generated through repeated experiments, observations, and rejection or modification of explanations. 4. Conclusion of science are reliable, although tentative: Science is always a work in progress and its conclusions are always tentative in the sense that all ideas are open to scrutiny and are modified as new evidence appears. 5. Science is not democratic: Scientific ideas are subject to scrutiny from near and far, and are accepted or rejected on the basis of evidence. 6. Science is non-dogmatic: Explanations and conclusions are accepted only to the degree that they are well founded and continue to stand up to scrutiny. Dogmatic: characterized by or given to the expression of opinions very strongly or positively as if they were facts. 7. Science cannot make moral and aesthetic decision: Scientist can infer the relationship of flowering plants from their anatomy, DNA, and fossils, but they cannot scientifically assert that a sampaguita is prettier than an orchid. Scientist make moral and aesthetic judgments and choices, but such decisions are obviously not part of science. 8. Science is not always a direct ascent toward the truth: In some cases, scientific ideas that dominated a particular time may later be recognized as inaccurate or incomplete. Spontaneous Generation: An outmoded theory that living organisms, rather than coming from the reproduction of their species, arise from nonliving objects. 9. Science corrects itself: Sometimes it takes years, decades, or even centuries to make the correction of errors of the past. Those past “truths” are often challenged by improved understanding attributed to new technology or changing perspectives. Technology - “Science of Craft” Greek techne, "art, skill, cunning of hand" and logia “the application of scientific knowledge” - for practical purposes, especially for industry and the good life for man. - It is the collection of techniques, skills, methods, and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives, such as scientific investigation. - The simplest form of technology is the development and use of basic tools: Prehistoric (Controlling fire), Neolithic Revolution (Tools for agriculture, Wheel for transportation and control their environment), Present (Phones, Internet, etc. for communication) - Today’s technology is so advanced it includes the rise of leisure class. - Technology produces unwanted by-products = POLLUTION: Innovations have always influenced the values of a society and raised new questions of the ethics of technology. Non-Science and Pseudoscience Non-science - Area of knowledge which does not meet the criteria of science like consistency, observability, testability, and predictability, among others. Topic areas may be very logical, but simply do not fall within the realm of science. Religious beliefs, philosophy, personal opinions or attitudes, a sense of aesthetics, or ethics. Pseudoscience - A claim, belief, or practice that which is presented as scientific, but in the ultimate analysis does not adhere to a valid scientific methodology, lacks supporting evidence or plausibility, cannot be reliably tested, or lacks scientific status. Characterized by the use of vague, exaggerated or unprovable claims, an over-reliance on confirmation rather than on rigorous attempts at refutation, or a lack of openness to rationally develop theories. Scientific Method and Inquiry 1. Fundamentally, the various scientific disciplines rely on evidence, use of hypotheses and theories, and use of logic. 2. However, scientists differ greatly from one another in what phenomena they investigate and in how they go about their work. 3. They exchange techniques, information, and concepts. 4. They share understandings about what constitutes an investigation that is scientifically valid. - Scientists anchor their frame of mind on curiosity. - They usually accept an explanation based on evidence or proof. - To prove their point, they usually consider what is aptly called scientific method which consists of the following steps: 1. stating the problem; 2. forming a hypothesis; 3. testing the hypothesis; 4. recording and analyzing data; 5. forming a conclusion; and 6. replicating the work. - When a hypothesis is tested and confirmed again and again and is unlikely to be disproved by future tests, it may become a theory. - Scientifically, the word theory means time-tested concept that makes useful and dependable prediction about the natural world. - Not all the time an explanation should be always done through an experiment like what the scientific method would assert. - There are instances when common sense and logic best explain how an event or phenomenon came about.