BIOL 2002 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Estrous Cycle, Stopcock, Spontaneous Generation
Document Summary
Science = a particular way of understanding the natural world, based on the idea that our senses and extensions of those senses can give us accurate information about the universe. Relies on evidence from natural world as well as logical interpretation. Science is influenced by the culture of its times. Seeks to explain natural world, explanations are tested using evidence from natural world: birds and lizards = from natural world, elves and gnomes = not. Assumes we can learn about the natural world by gathering evidence: either through our senses or extensions of our senses, works: sight, sound, smell, microscopic evidence, measured electrical fields, etc, does not work: dreams, hallucinations, apparitions, etc. Ideas are developed through reasoning: inferences = logical conclusions based on observable facts. Scientific claims depend on testing explanation against observation of the. Natural world, and rejecting explanations that fail the test. Scientific claims may be peer-reviewed and replicated.
