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New Core CurriculumNew Core Curriculum
Foundations of Scientific ProcessFoundations of Scientific Process
Theories and Scientific LawsTheories and Scientific Laws
Science vs. PseudoscienceScience vs. Pseudoscience
week 2, class-1week 2, class-1
ScienceScience is concerned with investigating and making sense out of the is concerned with investigating and making sense out of the environment and trying to predict future observations.environment and trying to predict future observations.
What ? Where ? How ? Why ? What ? Where ? How ? Why ?
Movie “Contact” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRoj3jK37Vc
Theory & Scientific Law
TheoryTheory is defined as a broad, working hypothesis that is based is defined as a broad, working hypothesis that is based on extensive experimental evidenceon extensive experimental evidence
ex. Plate Tectonics Theoryex. Plate Tectonics Theory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plate_tectonics
When theory is around for a long time it is sometimes promoted to a When theory is around for a long time it is sometimes promoted to a “Law of Nature” of “Law of Nature” of Scientific LawScientific Law
Scientific Law describes what is happening in nature Scientific Law describes what is happening in nature
(how it is, not how it aught to be)(how it is, not how it aught to be)
Science vs. Non-science vs. PseudoscienceScience vs. Non-science vs. Pseudoscience
Pseudoscience: Pseudoscience: deceptive practice that uses the appearance deceptive practice that uses the appearance or language of science to convince, confuse or mislead people or language of science to convince, confuse or mislead people
into thinking that something has scientific validity when it into thinking that something has scientific validity when it does notdoes not
Examples ?Examples ?
Questions to Ask ?Questions to Ask ?
Scientists are healthy skepticsScientists are healthy skeptics
PhrenologyFranz Gall(1758-1828)
Famous Anatomist
Gall: So observed these facile memorizers and “I noticed that they all had large and protruding eyes .”
Study of personality characteristics by measuring bumps on the head
The Theory of Phrenology: Assumptions
1. Physiology 2. Behavior
Brain has different, distinct areas.
Basic innate traits
a. Different areas responsible for different traits.
b. The larger the brain area, the more prominent the trait.
3. Connection
You need measurements to test a theory
Bumps on skull(couldn’t measure brain)
The Theory of Phrenology
The Theory of Phrenology: Pseudo-science popular in 19th century.
Advertisement for a Phrenology Lecture- 1888
Karl Marx
Gregor MendelCharles Darwin
Senator Henry Clay(1777-1852)
Reference appears in the Congressional Record in 1834.
President Andrew Jackson(1767-1845)
President 1829-1837
Clay suggested that the President’s head should be examined by phrenologists and that they would “find the organ of destructiveness prominently developed.”
?
Wrong & too simplistic measures of brains activity
The Theory of Phrenology: Why it failed ?
Scientists are healthy skepticsScientists are healthy skeptics
Arsenic-based bacteria: Arsenic-based bacteria: Fact or fiction?Fact or fiction?
Steven Benner, a chemist at the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution in Gainesville, Florida told New Scientist:
“In order to measure the apparently modified DNA, it has to be put into a water-containing gel, which would rapidly dissolve any arsenic-containing chunks of DNA, but not those containing phosphorus. Since they found large chunks of DNA, it must contain phosphorus, not arsenic...”