STS Module 1 Quiz

[Science’s Personality] Perspective

• To see via logic

Research Knowledge

• Methodical

• Universal

• Open to testing

  • Hypothesis testing: to disprove something 

• Active role by scientists 

• Endeavoring to understand why

Belief

• Experiential

• Personal; cannot be disproved 

[Science’s Personality] Process

• What we learn is not static 

• Stronger theory = able to withstand time and testing; keep the obvious

[Science’s Personality] Endeavor

• Social context; ethical, inclusive, sensitive 

• Priorities

[Science’s Personality] Institution

• ideals/norms that define what science is/should be 

• Robert Merton’s CUDOS

  • Communalism 

  • Universalism 

  • Disinterestedness 

  • Organized skepticism

[Basic Principles of Science] Empiricism

1. Observation of real phenomenon 

2. Agreeing on a definition

[Basic Principles of Science] Uniformitarianism

1. Basic processes stay the same despite time and space 

2. Levels of application; foundational 

[Basic Principles of Science] Parsimony

1. Simpler explanation between 2 solid ones is preferred

[Basic Principles of Science] Uncertainty

1. Knowledge changes with new evidences 

2. Theories can change 

3. Measurements may not always be 100%

[Basic Principles of Science] Repeatability

Results need to be reproduced similarly

[Basic Principles of Science] Proof is Elusive

1. No absolute proof 

2. Never 100% sure 

3. To test a hypothesis is to disprove it

[Basic Principles of Science] Testable Questions

1. Not testable does not mean it’s not scientific

2. Applicability 

   1. Not all empirical data applies to a specific context 

      1. Culture, traditions, etc.

[Science v. Pseudoscience] Science

• seeks to disconfirm

• approach > topic

[Science v. Pseudoscience] Pseudoscience

• Statements that appear to be scientific but are not grounded in evidence

  • Not supported by validated facts

  • Di connected

  • Trying to be science, but isn’t

[Warning signs of Pseudoscience] Heavy Jargon/Psychobabble

• Use of technical-sounding words to appear legitimate

[Warning signs of Pseudoscience] Substantial reliance on anecdotal evidence 

• Problematic as the only evidence 

  • Claims rely on these heavily 

[Warning signs of Pseudoscience] Extraordinary claims in absence of extraordinary evidence

• Not all novel claims are unscientific

[Warning signs of Pseudoscience] Absence of connectivity to other research 

• Data cherry-picking

• Using data and fit it to what you want to say

[Warning Signs of Pseudoscience] Lack of self-correction 

• If it’s been used for thousands of years, it must be correct 

• There's no dichotomy between tradition and science