An introduction to The Genesis Mission page “What is Science?”

What is Science?

Thos page is a discussion of Science. It describes what Science is and is not. The page also links to other articles that go in to more detail on various aspects of Science. You will find it a useful resource to under stand the nature of Science.

The Viewing and Recording of Observation.

Observation is the act of viewing and recording an event. Viewing and recording are simply watching a phenomenon and recording the observations including written records, photographs or other recording devices.

Observations  are not always accurate because real world observations some times miss stuff. A critical event may occur when observations are not being made. A critical event may occur outside the range of the observer’s sight.

Because of this observations can subjective since it is too easy for an observer to see what he wants to see because the observer is looking for what he wants to see So patterns resembling what the observer wants to see are more likely noticed.

It is too easy for an observer to not see what he does not want to see because the observer is not looking for what he does not want to see and patterns not resembling what the observer wants to see can be over looked. Knowing of such problems helps avoid them.

Observations  are an important scientific tool but it does have its limitations and pitfalls. Being aware of those limitations helps one to avoid them.

Talk About Repeatability in Science

Repeatability is the ability of a scientist to replicate the experiments and results of other scientists. The concept is that since physical laws are the same every place an experiment conducted by one scientist should work for any other scientist so as to double check results. Repeatability is not to be confused with replicating passed events which is done to show the possibility or feasibility of that event which is a totally different from the repeatability being discussed.
         

Repeatability is at its best with experiments were variables can be controlled and hence replication can be as complete as possible. It does not work well for all situations. Those situations where there are difficulties in controlling variables are not easily replicated. The degree of repeatability varies from field to field.

In conclusion repeatability is important to science but it is not an absolute principle and some fields are more repeatable than others.

The Process Experimentation in Science

Experimentation: The investigation of the causal relationships among variables or the testing of a hypothesis.

Albert Michelson and Edward Morley performed the Michelson-Morley Experiment in 1887 by splitting a beam of light in two sending in two directions to measure by interference the difference in the transition of the two beams. It is considered the first strong evidence against the theory of a luminiferous aether helping lead to the development of Special Relativity.

Science at its Purest

Controlled Experimentation is the embodiment of the ideal of science. This is where the scientific method works best. It is also where scientific repeatability works best. The difficulties are that not all area of scientific study lend them selves to experiments. In fact most real world observations are beyond the possibility of a controlled experiment do to things like distance, size and time. In many case experiments can only be used to test the possibility of a hypothesis which is some times done in historical sciences. Trying to replicate a past event to show it could have happened.

The Ideal Experiment should reduce the number of variable to one and be easily repeated by other scientists to increases the likely hood that someone will try to repeat it. It also makes it more likely that the attempt to repeat it will succeed. It should also limit complexity and cost so as to increase the likely hood that someone will try to repeat it making it more likely that the attempt to repeat it will succeed.