Science Is An Important Factor In Today’s Society
April 7, 2020 at 4:48 p.m.
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Seemingly, information comes relatively easy these days, but with drawbacks. The main one is lack of confirmation as to authenticity, the second is gullibility, the third and most important is losing the ability to think and reason. During these times of allegedly readily information, it is wise to consider the Latin phrase, Nullius in Verba, translated as “on the word of no one” or “take no one’s word for it.” It is the motto of the Royal Society in the United Kingdom. Checking and verifying the source and accuracy of the information obtained on the internet is extremely important.
The word "science" is derived from the Latin word scientia, which is knowledge based on demonstrable and reproducible data, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. True to this definition, science aims for measurable results through testing and analysis. Science is based on fact, not opinion or preferences. The process of science is designed to challenge ideas through research.
The Encylopedia Brittanica defines science as any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical world and its phenomena and that entails unbiased observations and systematic experimentation. In general, a science involves a pursuit of knowledge covering general truths or the operations of fundamental laws.”
Perhaps there is no one better than Edward O. Wilson for explaining science. (Dr. Wilson is an American biologist, naturalist and writer and world’s leading expert on ants.) In one of his many books, Letters to a Young Scientist, he wrote: “It is organized, testable knowledge of the real world, of everything around us as well as ourselves, as opposed to the endlessly varied beliefs people hold from myth and superstition. It is the combination of physical and mental operations that have become increasingly the habit of educated peoples, a culture of illuminations dedicated to the most effective way ever conceived of acquiring factual knowledge.” Few scholars could define it as well. The book itself should be compulsory reading for high school students with an interest in science.
According to Richard Giere, in his book “Explaining Science,” “Science is more than just the definition. It is a cognitive activity, which is to say it is concerned with the generation of knowledge. Indeed, science is now the major paradigm of a knowledge-producing enterprise.” He describes science as both a body of knowledge and a process. In school, science may sometimes seem like a collection of isolated and static facts listed in a textbook, but that’s only a small part of the story. Just as importantly, science is also a process of discovery that allows us to link isolated facts into coherent and comprehensive understandings of the natural world. Science is exciting. Science is a way of discovering what’s in the universe and how those things work today, how they worked in the past, and how they are likely to work in the future.
Scientists are motivated by the thrill of seeing or figuring out something that no one has before. Science is useful. The knowledge generated by science is powerful and reliable. It can be used to develop new technologies, treat diseases and deal with many other sorts of problems.
Science is ongoing. Science is continually refining and expanding our knowledge of the universe, and as it does, it leads to new questions for future investigation. Science will never be “finished.” Science is a global human endeavor. People all over the world participate in the process of science.
Science literacy has pervaded the purposes of school science since at least the 1990s. It reflects concerns that school science should prepare citizens to engage with science as well as prepare for science-related careers. Science literacy refers to a student’s capacity to master the literacy practices of science, which enable them to conduct investigations, collect and interpret data, critique claims and make informed decisions.
Final Thoughts
In case you as parents have young people at home who complain about taking courses at school with little relevance to their life’s work, tell them how important science is in problem solving and decision making. Many of the major challenges and opportunities that confront us need to be approached from a scientific perspective, as our recent experience with the corona virus tells us. By studying science, students develop an understanding of the world, learn that science involves particular processes as ways of developing and organizing knowledge for future research.
Max Sherman is a medical writer and pharmacist retired from the medical device industry. He has taught college courses on regulatory and compliance issues at Ivy Tech, Grace College and Butler University. Sherman has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge on all levels. Eclectic Science, the title of his column, touches on famed doctors and scientists, human senses, aging, various diseases, and little-known facts about many species, including their contributions to scientific research. He can be reached by email at [email protected].
Seemingly, information comes relatively easy these days, but with drawbacks. The main one is lack of confirmation as to authenticity, the second is gullibility, the third and most important is losing the ability to think and reason. During these times of allegedly readily information, it is wise to consider the Latin phrase, Nullius in Verba, translated as “on the word of no one” or “take no one’s word for it.” It is the motto of the Royal Society in the United Kingdom. Checking and verifying the source and accuracy of the information obtained on the internet is extremely important.
The word "science" is derived from the Latin word scientia, which is knowledge based on demonstrable and reproducible data, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. True to this definition, science aims for measurable results through testing and analysis. Science is based on fact, not opinion or preferences. The process of science is designed to challenge ideas through research.
The Encylopedia Brittanica defines science as any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical world and its phenomena and that entails unbiased observations and systematic experimentation. In general, a science involves a pursuit of knowledge covering general truths or the operations of fundamental laws.”
Perhaps there is no one better than Edward O. Wilson for explaining science. (Dr. Wilson is an American biologist, naturalist and writer and world’s leading expert on ants.) In one of his many books, Letters to a Young Scientist, he wrote: “It is organized, testable knowledge of the real world, of everything around us as well as ourselves, as opposed to the endlessly varied beliefs people hold from myth and superstition. It is the combination of physical and mental operations that have become increasingly the habit of educated peoples, a culture of illuminations dedicated to the most effective way ever conceived of acquiring factual knowledge.” Few scholars could define it as well. The book itself should be compulsory reading for high school students with an interest in science.
According to Richard Giere, in his book “Explaining Science,” “Science is more than just the definition. It is a cognitive activity, which is to say it is concerned with the generation of knowledge. Indeed, science is now the major paradigm of a knowledge-producing enterprise.” He describes science as both a body of knowledge and a process. In school, science may sometimes seem like a collection of isolated and static facts listed in a textbook, but that’s only a small part of the story. Just as importantly, science is also a process of discovery that allows us to link isolated facts into coherent and comprehensive understandings of the natural world. Science is exciting. Science is a way of discovering what’s in the universe and how those things work today, how they worked in the past, and how they are likely to work in the future.
Scientists are motivated by the thrill of seeing or figuring out something that no one has before. Science is useful. The knowledge generated by science is powerful and reliable. It can be used to develop new technologies, treat diseases and deal with many other sorts of problems.
Science is ongoing. Science is continually refining and expanding our knowledge of the universe, and as it does, it leads to new questions for future investigation. Science will never be “finished.” Science is a global human endeavor. People all over the world participate in the process of science.
Science literacy has pervaded the purposes of school science since at least the 1990s. It reflects concerns that school science should prepare citizens to engage with science as well as prepare for science-related careers. Science literacy refers to a student’s capacity to master the literacy practices of science, which enable them to conduct investigations, collect and interpret data, critique claims and make informed decisions.
Final Thoughts
In case you as parents have young people at home who complain about taking courses at school with little relevance to their life’s work, tell them how important science is in problem solving and decision making. Many of the major challenges and opportunities that confront us need to be approached from a scientific perspective, as our recent experience with the corona virus tells us. By studying science, students develop an understanding of the world, learn that science involves particular processes as ways of developing and organizing knowledge for future research.
Max Sherman is a medical writer and pharmacist retired from the medical device industry. He has taught college courses on regulatory and compliance issues at Ivy Tech, Grace College and Butler University. Sherman has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge on all levels. Eclectic Science, the title of his column, touches on famed doctors and scientists, human senses, aging, various diseases, and little-known facts about many species, including their contributions to scientific research. He can be reached by email at [email protected].
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