Chapter 1 - Principles of Science

Science

  • The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and ==natural world== through observation and experiment
    • Science does not deal with supernatural things

Scientific Method

  1. Question or Observation of some kind
  2. Background Research
  3. Construct Hypothesis
  4. Test with an Experiment/Data
  5. Analyze results and draw Conclusions
  6. Either your hypothesis is data-supported or false

   

  1. If it is false, try again
    1. In the end, report the results

   

  1. Peer Reviews

Correlation and Causation

Correlation does not mean causation

We can separate correlation and causation when we conduct the scientific method; the scientific method brings forth the causation of things

Independent Observations and Repeatable Experiment

Keep out bias and presupposed conclusion

Words actually have meanings

What is the definition of “set”?

“Set” has 464 different definitions! It depends on the context.

Hierarchy (From Most Important to Least Important)

  1. Theory - Explains the overall picture of why

  2. Law - Gives an equation or explanation for why

  3. Hypothesis - A possible reason for why

  4. Fact - What happened

The most scientifically refuted theory ever is evolution.