The Nature of Science

Introductory Microbiology

What does Science mean to you?

Is this the process of Science to you?

We make a Hypothesis to explain observations.

Repeated experiments support our Hypothesis so it becomes a Theory

Further experiments prove our Theory true and it becomes a Law.

I have a name for this…

The Schoolhouse Rock version of Science.

Science isn’t taught like other subjects…

So students get stuck in the rote-memorization rut.

So what is wrong with that?

The problem is one of semantics

Define the word Apocalypse

Most of you go with this…

However, if you were a theologian, you would get…

Then how does Science work?

What is a Hypothesis?

“An Educated Guess” is too simplistic, you need to be more specific.

A Scientific Hypothesis has several features.

It must be experimentally testable.

It seeks to explain how a phenomenon works.

It predicts unknown results.

Likewise, a Scientific Theory is often misunderstood

Theories are NOT proven

Theories are hypotheses that have been expanded into general models of a phenomenon.

Theories are supported but falsifiable

Theories allow for the generation of new hypotheses.

A Scientific Law is probably the most misunderstood.

Laws are a distillation of repeated observations

Laws differ from theories in that they DO NOT posit explanations

Often Laws can be described as Mathematical Equations

The Big Picture

Observed Phenomenon

Hypothesis

Theory

LawA description, often mathematical

A posited model to explain the phenomenon

Allows the formation ofNew Hypotheses

Repeated experimentation And testing allows expansion And generalization