1...What is Science_.pdf

Alaa Y. El-Daly Assistant Lecturer – English Department sinaiuniversity.net Scientific Thinking Where does the word ‘scientific’ come from? @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking What is Science? It is the systematic and logical approach that discovers how things in th...

Alaa Y. El-Daly Assistant Lecturer – English Department sinaiuniversity.net Scientific Thinking Where does the word ‘scientific’ come from? @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking What is Science? It is the systematic and logical approach that discovers how things in the universe work. Science consists of observing the world by watching, listening, observing, and recording. Science is curiosity in thoughtful action about the world and how it behaves. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking What is Science? Science is based on observation, experiment, and measurement, and the formulation of laws to describe facts in general terms. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Examples: Happiness love evil Ghosts We all know these concepts, but defining these concepts is difficult indeed. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Characteristics of science 1. Science is exciting. Science is a way of discovering what’s in the universe and how those things work today, how they worked in the past, and how they are likely to work in the future. Scientists are motivated by the thrill of seeing or figuring out something that no one has before. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Characteristics of science 2. Science is useful. The knowledge generated by science is powerful and reliable. It can be used to develop new technologies, treat diseases, and deal with many other sorts of problems. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Characteristics of science 3. Science is ongoing. Science is continually refining and expanding our knowledge of the universe, and as it does, it leads to new questions for future investigation. Science will never be “finished.” 4. Science is a global human endeavor. People all over the world participate in the process of science. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg What is Thinking Thinking is the mental process that makes you produce thoughts. Thinking is the ultimate cognitive activity, consciously using our brains to make sense of the world around us and decide how to respond to it. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg What is Thinking Thinking is also known as “ cognitive”. It refers to the ability to process information, hold attention, store and retrieve memories and select appropriate responses and actions. The ability to understand other people, and express oneself to others can also be categorized under thinking. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Is science hard? - Yes - No Why? @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Because science should be objective. Bias idea X Reality Science is hard because it’s abstract . It requires abstract and logical thinking to develop clear concepts. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Are we biased? Please read aloud what you see Ca_ y_u rea_ t_is ? @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Are we biased? Please read aloud what you see Can you read this ? @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Are we biased? What happened? The brain was helpful. It filled in the blanks ! @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Are we biased? Please read aloud what you see Can you read this ? JUMPING TO CQNGIUSIQNS @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS? @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Are we biased? Please read aloud what you see Can you read this ? JUMPING TO CQNGIUSIQNS @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Are we biased? The brain made an error. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Are we biased? When the brain receives sensory inputs, the unconscious mind interprets them and builds an explanation quickly filling in gaps without realizing them. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Natural Bias Bias is an inclination, prejudice, preference or tendency towards or against a person, group, thing, idea or belief. It is human nature to have a bias in some thing or person. These biases affect how we treat others and how we respond to situations. Biases are usually unfair or prejudicial and are often based on stereotypes, rather than knowledge or experience. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Examples of Natural Bias Humans are designed to have opinions and even play favorites at times. -A good experience at a destination may make a person want to visit again in the future. -Experiencing an unpleasant taste might make a person avoid certain foods. These are examples of natural biases created over a lifetime of experience. Hence, bias is usually learned, although some biases may be innate. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Examples of Natural Bias Imagine that your friends invite you to attend a school play. After sitting through the play, everyone who attended have a score sheet and asked to score each child’s performance on a scale from 1 to 10. This is a hypothetical scenario, If you give your friend’s child 9 ( a higher score) not because she or he is the best, but because there is a personal relationship and you like her. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Why scientific thinking? Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is: biased, distorted, partial, prejudiced. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Is scientific thinking just for professional scientists? Scientific thinking is not just for professional scientists, but an essential and widely-applicable skill for everyone. Anyone can have an idea about how nature works. Some people think their idea is correct because "it seems right" or "it makes sense." But for a scientist (who could be you!), this is not enough. A scientist will test the idea in the real world. An idea that predicts how the world works is called a hypothesis. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Scientific Thinking Is scientific thinking just for professional scientists? Being a professional scientist is hard, but thinking in a scientific manner is something that every human is capable of. @Sinaiunieg [email protected] www.su.edu.eg Choose the correct answer: 1. Science is defined as……….. a. The study of historical events that shape the world's politics b. The study of the natural world through observation and experiments c. The study of DNA and the foundations for life d. The study of mathematical expressions 2. To use science to figure out why the sky is blue, you would need to perform ………………….. a. readings and tests b. observation and experimentations c. measurements and Observation 3. Which of the following is the best definition of science?……………… a. a body of knowledge gathered through experiments. b. a process of accidental discovery. c. a search for answers to questions about the natural world. d. a method of asking testable questions based on hypothesis. 4. Which of the following statements is most correct?..................... a. Science is always right b. Non-scientific study has little value c. science has all the answers d. science seeks to explain natural occurrences 5. What are goals of science?.......... a. to investigate the natural world b. to establish unchanging facts c. to explain natural phenomena d. to make useful prediction based on evidence 6. Science is considered as …………. a. an absolute truth b. the truth c. a way to truth 7. Much of our thinking, left to itself, is not………………. a. biased b. distorted c. logical 8. Science is a methodical ………….to studying the natural world. a. theory b. approach c. technique 9. Science is a human endeavor, so it is subject to personal …………... a. bias b. verification c. reproduction 10. Science is a methodical approach to study the __________ world. a. natural b. supernatural c. hypothetical 11. Every one, no matter how objective a person may be, has a ……….. opinion about something. a. neutral b. impartial c. biased 12. What is not a reason for a bias?…………. a. People have different points of views. b. people have different life experiences. c. people have different amounts of money. d. people have different beliefs. 13. Thinking process allows persons to ……………….. a. learn new information. b. solve problems. c. understand concepts. d. all of the above. THANK YOU For any questions feel free to contact me by mail Alaa.es haq@s u.edu.eg Alaa Y. E l-Daly Assistant Lecturer – English Department