Characteristics of Science

1/23/2010

Click here to start

Table of Contents

Characteristics of Science

…Belief in creation out of nothing, and in time is the very opposite of paganism. Once that belief became a widely shared cultural consensus during the Christian Middle ages, it became almost natural that there should be arise the idea of inertial motion”Jaki (emphasis mine)

What is Science?

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

1. The beginning of science is observation

This type of observation requires effort and training to do properly..

Observation may be the beginning of science, but it is NOT the end. Observation by itself is not enough.

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

2. Science is Quantitative & Mathematical

The language of science is mathematical for several reasons

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

3. Science is Naturalistic

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

4. Science is Based on Models as Representations of Nature

What makes a “good” model?

II. Must fit the experimental data

III. Must be aesthetically pleasing

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

5. Science is Limited

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

6. Science is Dynamic

“The God of the Gaps”

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

7. Science is Amoral

Characteristics of Scientific Inquiry

Author: James Mackey

Email: jmackey@harding.edu

Home Page: http://www.harding.edu/jmackey

Download presentation source