The Nature of Science

Flashcards about the key vocabulary and terms from the lecture notes about the Nature of Science.

Science

One way of knowing, describing, classifying, and understanding our universe.

Nature of Science (NOS)

Values and assumptions inherent to science.

Discipline of Science

Central commitment to evidence as the basis of justified belief about material causes and the rational means of resolving controversy.

Empirical Evidence

Scientific knowledge demands this; science is derived from, and guided by, observation or experiment.

Testable/Falsifiable

Scientific claims are this; Popper (1968) suggested that only ideas that are potentially this are scientific ideas.

Scientific Knowledge

Even though the statement is true, in an overall sense, it hides much detail and is consequently potentially misleading.

Self-Correct

Over time scientific knowledge has the ability to do this.

Scientific Law

Summarizes 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.