The Nature of Science

Flashcards on the Nature of Science based on the provided lecture notes.

Nature of Science (NOS)

The values and assumptions inherent to science.

Empirical Evidence

Science is derived from, and guided by, observation or experiment.

Testability/Falsifiability

Scientific claims must be able to be tested and potentially proven false.

Repeatability

Scientific tests or observations must be able to be repeated.

Tentative Knowledge

Scientific knowledge is subject to change and is fallible to a certain degree.

Self-Correcting

Science has the ability to identify and correct its own errors.

Scientific Method (Myth)

The misconception that all scientific investigations follow a single, fixed series of steps.

Hypothesis (Myth)

The misconception that a hypothesis is merely an educated guess, rather than a possible explanation.

Hypotheses, Theories, and Laws (Myth)

The misconception that hypotheses become theories, which in turn become laws; they are different kinds of knowledge.

Science as a Solitary Pursuit (Myth)

The misconception that scientific discoveries are typically made by individuals working alone.

Law (or rule or principle)

A generalised statement which summarises the observed regularities or patterns in nature

Hypothesis

A possible explanation for the observed facts and laws

Theory

An explanation, which has stood the test of time and in which we therefore show much faith

Model

A mental picture of, or analogy for, the phenomenon, involving a system which is well understood and which appears to behave in a similar manner to the system under consideration