GEOL 205 Study Guide - Null Hypothesis, Falsifiability, Scientific Method
Document Summary
Definition of science: a process of describing the material universe by means of observation and hypothesis testing. Questions scientists ask: did you see it? (repeatable observations, how would i know if i were wrong? (falsifiable hypotheses, is this consistent with what i already know? (corroboration, is there a simpler explanation (parsimony) Three levels of science: observation (data, hypothesis (pattern, theory (process) Properties of observations: must be repeatable, must be independent of the observer, must be objective. Still very useful (especially in evaluating your assumptions. ) An idea confirmed to such an extent that provisional dissent is perverse or unnecessary. geology [age of dinosaurs] Paradigms are collections of theories that define scientific fields and guide research. The overturning of a paradigm is rare, but very exciting. Paradigm shifts enrich scientific inquiry by the introduction of novel ideas. Test prediction by experiment or collecting new observations. Decide the fate of scientific projects at the polls by voting to support or reject them.
