Scientific Sessions
Name: Ornella Hayles
ID Number: 816008392
Tutor: Sheldon Pilgrim
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Session: Tuesdays 2-3pm3700030000
Name: Ornella Hayles
ID Number: 816008392
Tutor: Sheldon Pilgrim
Session: Tuesdays 2-3pm44000341947525002514604000070000455003536315690006939915370000455003536315350003520440Sci, Med & TechReflective Journal3600028000Sci, Med & TechReflective JournalSession
Date: 22/01/18
Session No: 1Session
Title: Introduction to Science & TechnologyIn the first session, the lecturer did an introduction of Science & Technology and an overall view of the course outline.
After the introduction, I got a perspective of what Science & Technology was. At first, I thought the course was going to be essentially, about science since it was mainly being mentioned, but I was wrong. The lecturer took her time to clearly distinguished between science and technology and its importance to society or the world in general.
She ensured that we all understood what she was lecturing by engaging us to respond to her questions, it appeared that she really wanted us to understand what was being taught so she went over what she said twice, two different ways which I appreciated. It helped me a lot to understand and grasp the concepts effectively. The use of visual cues seemed to work well with the class as it captured our attention and made us receptive.
Through research I've come to realise scientists all have different perceptions of the word science. "Science does not purvey absolute truth, science is a mechanism. It's a way of trying to improve your knowledge of nature, it's a system for testing your thoughts against the universe and seeing whether they match" Isaac Asimov 1988. Science is important because it can solve some of our problems such as global warming and world hunger.
I believe that science is still evolving and there's trial and error with science which means we learn new information and we advance as humans but, it can all take years for such research or technology to be developed. "Technology can be thought of as the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes". I've always considered technology and science to be separate now, through critical analysis I know that science and technology are closely associated with each other. Which means technology is a part of science, it has been in existence since the prehistoric human culture (stone age).
In my opinion technology is everywhere although we might not realise it our note books are a form of technology whereby we use our knowledge to document for practical purposes like computers. Overall for my first time doing this course it was challenging but, I've come to appreciate science and technology more, subsequently I can't imagine having to sleep without a roof above my head or having to cook using sticks and rocks.
Through this experience I've got a spark of curiosity that makes me more enthusiastic to know more about science and technology. Scientists have reached so far in the field of technology whereby people can afford to do scientific research and make scientific break throughs from their own houses. The society we all know and accustomed to would be non-existent if it wasn't for the advancement in technology. We're so dependent on science and technology without realising it.
23 MORE WORDS Session
Date: 29/01/18
Session No: 2
Session Title: Scientific Methods & The Nature of ScienceFor the second session, the lecturer started class with a recap of science. "All of science is uncertain and subject to revision.
The glory of science is to imagine more than we could prove" Freeman Dyson. To follow up with the course outline, she started the second topic. To my understanding science is like a puzzle, to see the full image you need to put the pieces together. This can be distinguished through the scientific process. "The scientific method is a series of steps followed by scientific investigators to answer specific questions about the natural world" Regina Bailey 2017.
What surprised me the most about this process is the fifth step experimentation, which is the most important step in this process. This is so because it can cause major breakthroughs in the world of science or a reversal. Through science we can make technological advancements and end some of the world major problems. "Fields of engineering are closely related to applied science.
Applied science is important for technology development" Wikipedia 2018. It is understood that through scientific knowledge scientists have been able to provide services for the wellbeing of humans. Through many experiments people have been saying technology is good because it helps people medically and physically, it connects us as human beings and gives us entertainment. On the plus side technology is causing us to become less social.
With this experiment, it shows how technology is applicated through private and public knowledge orientation. "Scientific objectivity is a characteristic of scientific claims, methods and results. It expresses the idea that the claims, methods and results of science are not, or should not be influenced by particular perspective value commitments, community bias or personal interests, to name a few relevant factors. Objectivity is often considered as an ideal for scientific inquiry, as a good reason for valuing scientific knowledge, and as the basis of the authority of science in society" Stanford Encyclopedia of philosophy 2014.
To my knowledge there are three methods that scientists use inductive approach, deductive approach and hypothetico -deductive approach. The inductive approach and deductive approach are opposite, where the inductive approach is based off fact then there's a conclusion whilst deductive approach is a valid type of reasoning. Induction starts with observation, then a pattern, tentative, hypothesis and finally a theory. "In induction inference, we go from the specific to the general.
We make many observations, discern a pattern, make a generalisation, and infer an explanation or a theory" Wassertheil Smoller 2017. Deduction has four stages theory, hypothesis, observation and confirmation. "Deductive reasoning is a logical process in which a conclusion is based on the concordance of multiple premises that are generally assumed to be true" Tech Target. Lastly hypothetico- deductive method which is seen as the only true method.
What I understand is that the only way to truly test this is through experimentation which you either accept or reject the hypothesis and finally have an example. This week's session journal was manageable enough for me.
Session Date: 05/02/18
Session No: 3
Session Title: Scientific Methods, Theories and ModelsIn this week's session, the lecturer started with the scientific method, then followed with theories and lastly models. Science is empirical, which means that it is based on observation over theory or logic. In class, we briefly discussed the history of scientific methods. It is understood that Plato 429-347 BC did not believe in empiricism but reasoning.
"All knowledge could be obtained through pure reasoning (inductive), no need to actually go out and measure anything," Plato 427-347 BC. "Contributions have been more influential, particularly when it comes to science and logical reasoning (deductive)" Aristotle 384-322 BC. Aristotle believed in empiricism.
Personally, I agree with both Plato and Aristotle, for me science can be based on observation and reasoning also through empiricism where there's a logical way to test such observations. A major point in this week's session was observation. Observation is knowledge or data we acquire through experimentation. An example of observation from what I understand is the writing up of labs (biology or chemistry) for labs you have to observe then write what you understand.
Through my research in observation I came across this question which intrigued me "Is creative concentration contagious?" Lynda Barry 2011. This brings me into another key example in topic three. When a baby sees his mother drinking in a cup, he tries to do the same with his cup, he holds it up and tries to take a sip from his cup. The baby first observes, then experiments.
There are two types of observations, qualitative observations which uses your senses to observe the results and quantitative observations are made with instruments such as ruler, cylinders and thermometers which are tangible. These results are measurable. They could be used together or separately to measure data. Quantitative observation only gives statistical analysis after all the data has been gathered. What I understand from scientific theory is that it's a repetition of a process of the natural to ensure the accuracy or legitimacy using a form of observation and experiment.
An example of this would be no new evidence would show water is wet, or that you can see without your glasses. Experimentation is the process of performing a scientific procedure, especially in a laboratory, to determine something" Oxford dictionaries 2018. From the information, I gathered from the session so far is that observation and experimentation are relate and there are two types of observation. "A statement based on repeated experimental observations that describes some aspects of the universe is called a scientific law' Wikipedia 2017. A scientific law doesn't explain the why or what of this observed phenomenon.
The explanation of this phenomenon is the scientific theory, this is why or how they are related. "In science, laws are a starting place" Peter Coppinger 2017. The description of such phenomenon is called a model. These models can be physical, conceptual or mathematical it is often used in scientific theories.
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