SCIENCE AS KNOWLEDGE AND MODE OF INQUIRY

Theme 1 / Lectures #2-4

Main Thesis

Doing science is one possible mode of knowing. Hence, it produces one particular, but not privileged type of knowledge. This sort of knowledge is derived from a very specific type of methodology (or gathering data), which has its own set of limitations. The story of science testifies to this.

Lecture 2

Objectives of the Theme

To survey the story of science and how it emerges as a dominant form of knowledge;

To understand the social nature of science and technology;

To rethink the notion that science is a privileged type of knowledge cut above the rest of other forms of knowledge;

To articulate how students view their discipline within the context of social sciences.

Science and/or Technology

Write a short, (one-paragraph) essay explaining the relationship between science and technology.

Three students will be requested to read their essay in class.

Discussion of the essays’ major points will follow.

Concept Mapping Presentation Section EE Section EC Section EY

Notes from the Presentation S & T related T is an output of science S &T help solve / create problems Technology would not exist without

science Discoveries courtesy of the two

My Notes: Science and Technology

S & T are not related, hence should not be used interchangeably.

The two may develop separately without one influencing the other.

The difference exposed the social nature of science as knowledge.

But recently, they become so intertwined reinforcing each other that they are construed as one and the same.

Some big words first!

Science: Refers to the body of knowledge that has been produced through and validated by systematic processes of inquiry which seek to describe, understand, and predict natural phenomena.

Technology: Knowledge that people apply to the task of living in their surrounding

Science as Knowledge

From the definitions above, we can safely conclude that knowledge are processed information which are generated to understand nature (science) and ultimately can be used for practical and applied purposes (technology).

This description of knowledge reflects two significant features of science as knowledge: (i) it is socially produced hence cultural and (ii) its used is largely determined by socio-ecological forces.

Assignment

Read articles about how science develop.

Articles that highlights the stories of the pioneer scientists and “their of science.”

Story of Science

Science emerges as a philosophical and political reactions to figures and institutions of authority such as the Church and the State during earlier periods from the Enlightenment, to Reformation to Renaissance.

The story of science is also the story of people who have personal desires to understand the nature of nature.

Lecture 3

The Story of Science….cont. These personal ambitions where not

singlehandedly pursued by a person. Rather, they gained inspiration and impetus from the works of others before them- a form of fellowship.

Therefore, the biography of science must not be highlighted by big science personalities themselves, but by their immediate historical and political contexts (e.g., Inquisition and the Black Death).

Reformation (16th-17th Century)

Challenged the unity of established religion.

Led to the individualization of faith.

Paved the way for the secularization of knowledge different from religion.

Enlightenment (18th Century)

Focus shifted to the individual and his/her reason

Rationality replaced revelation as source of explanation

Deism—God created rational humans

The Rise of Science

“Modern” civilization has its foundations on the scientific and technological achievements of the past epochs (e.g. Printing Press Era, Copernican Revolution, Industrial Revolution, et al).

This influence and prestige are then extended to addressing both the mundane and familiar dimensions of our social existence permeating the minutest facets of our daily lives.

Scientific Method

What distinguishes science is not the knowledge that it is capable of producing.

Rather, it is how it produces such knowledge and eventually how these knowledge influence technological innovations.

This way (or method) is technically called scientific method.

It requires systematic process experimentation, data recording, and replication.

Observation

Simple: requires only the senses as tools

Unobtrusive: does not intrude or intervene. Captures data as they occur (capturing naturally occuring process).

Convenient: can be executed and repeated without too much preparation. Simple recording tools may be used wit caution.

Experimentation

To determine cause and effect and correlation relationships of phenomena under study.

Hence, allows researcher to control certain features of the phenomenon.

Controlling aspect of the method is designed to calibrate the details (direction/degree) of the relationship.

Control is a means to predict possible scenarios for practical intents and purposes.

Science as knowledge is treated as if it contains the truth or is Truth itself. This scientistic attitude can be contested by considering other forms of Truth such as following:• Faith or belief • Common agreement• Experts’ opinion • Science

Science as “Truth”

Habermas’ Critique of Science Three types of knowledge

Empirical concerned with the understanding of the material world.

Hermeneutic/historical—understanding the meaning, particularly historical texts

Critical knowledge—uncovering sources of domination.

Science and Other Forms of Knowledge

Scientific knowledge is not as real and unchanging as we conceived them to be. The history of science itself is replete with examples as to how malleable and changeable scientific truths can be.

There are questions that cannot be answered by science with all its analytic might and power.

Scientism or the arrogance of science practitioners themselves. Lecture 4

Insights Discussion

What insights can you draw from your group presentations regarding the relationship between science and other sources of knowledge?

Can we trust the knowledge produced by these sources? Why and why not?

Are we in a position to evaluate one using the other as standard?

Science and Other Forms of Knowledge

INTEGRATIVE QUESTION 1

“Despite glaring commonalities between science and shamanism, what do you think are the factors that keep them apart? Can you cite at least three (3) grounds how the gap can be bridged?”

Max 3 pp., double spaced, 12 font size, Cambria Due: Oct 20 (MW classes); Oct 21 (TTh classes) Incomplete information will have points deduction

• Read John Casti material. The piece discusses the major philosophical issues in the debates regarding the nexus of science and other disciplines like philosophy, biology, chemistry, astronomy, linguistics, etc. • Each section will be represented in the Quiz bee and the winning block will receive points from the ML and Tutors.

Challenges to Science

SOCTEC QUIZ BEE

Major critical challenges raised against science as a mode of inquiry and as a process knowledge production.

Challenges to Science

Lecture 5

Formal Criticisms of Science

Popper: on the falsifiability of science

Feyerabend: on the subjectivity of scientific methods

Lakatos: on the politics of scientific research

Longino: on the intersubjectivity of science

The process of observation is prone to be limited by subjective selection.

It is possible for different individuals to have different observations for a single phenomenon.

The process of observation may also be influenced by what is expected, even as it cannot be certainly said that what is observed at one particular time period is true for other time periods.

There are many hidden structures in society that are unobservable

The public manifestation of human behavior does not necessarily reflect their true feelings

What is visible may not necessarily be authentic