Scientific Literacy and the Myth of the Scientific MethodWhat is science? Is social science a science? Why are more and more so-called scientific discoveries being exposed as outright frauds? Henry Bauer tackles these and many more intriguing questions that are emerging from within the academic and scientific communities and attracting attention from the popular media and the general public. Whether one is a specialist or generalist, scientist or humanist, thinker or activist, it is important to understand the place of science and technology in modern life. Popular views about the nature of science and scientific activity contain serious misconceptions that were discarded decades ago by most historians and philosophers of science. The perpetuation of these misconceptions usually surface in the form of frustrating and unproductive discussions about everything from setting policy and defining technical matters to whether one individual's point of view is ''right'' because it is supported by ''scientific facts.'' According to Bauer, the most serious and widespread misconceptions are that ''science'' can be discussed as though all sciences share a great deal in common and as though ''the scientific method'' characterizes all sciences. ''Science,'' argues Bauer, ''can be understood only if one recognizes it as a quest by fallible human beings who have evolved ways of interacting that help them gain relatively objective knowledge.'' In other words, science is a social activity, not simply the result of impersonal methods. Concern has recently arisen over the quality of American education and our declining scientific and research orientation. Debates are emerging about what direction public universities should be taking as we head into the twenty-fist century. Why and to what extent should society support basic scientific research? What should everyone in a democratic society know about science? This book will help readers come to an informed understanding about the place of science and technology in today's world.''Provocative. . . . Bauer argues that science does not proceed by the scientific method. If it did, experiments would inspire hypotheses which would then be tested until they generated reliable theories. As Watson and Crick's work [on DNA] shows, an elegant idea is often a headier lure than mere facts.''--Newsweek ''Sound, sensible . . . and very easy to read. . . . I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't yet heard that the scientific method is a myth.''--Science ''This is a book that every science teacher should read and consider. It will certainly affect their views of what science really is and influence their teaching.''--The Science Teacher |
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Inhoudsopgave
| 1 | |
| 19 | |
| 42 | |
| 63 | |
| 88 | |
Consequences of Misconception | 103 |
In Praise of Science | 141 |
Notes on Sources | 153 |
Further Reading | 175 |
Index | 177 |
Overige edities - Alles bekijken
Veelvoorkomende woorden en zinsdelen
accepted activity actually agree answers applied approach become behavior belief better century Chemical chemistry claim clear conflict of interest consensus consequences continue course criticism deal decades described discovery distinction effective error evidence example exists experience fact field follow frontier science given groups happen human ideas individual instance institutions interest knowledge known least less literate look matter means misconception myth natural sciences nature objective observation particular past perhaps philosophers physicists physics pieces possible practice predictions Press progress published puzzle question reality reason recognize reliable remain scientific community scientific knowledge scientific literacy scientific method scientists seems sense social sciences society sort successful sure tests textbook science theory things true turn understanding University unknown whereas whole wrong York
Populaire passages
Pagina 33 - Scientific" teaching, even of scientific subjects, will be inadequate as long as both teachers and pupils are human beings. Teaching is not like inducing a chemical reaction: it is much more like painting a picture or making a piece of music, or on a lower level like planting a garden or writing a friendly letter. You must throw your heart into it, you must realize that it cannot all be done by formulas, or you will spoil your work, and your pupils, and yourself.
Pagina 23 - It is a good rule not to put overmuch confidence in a theory until it has been confirmed by observation. I hope I shall not shock the experimental physicists too much if I add that it is also a good rule not to put overmuch confidence in the observational results that are put forward until they have been confirmed by theory.
Pagina 21 - The results serve to disprove the tetranucleotide hypothesis. It is, however, noteworthy — whether this is more than accidental, cannot yet be said — that in all desoxypentose nucleic acids examined thus far the molar ratios of total purines to total pyrimidines, and also of adenine to thymine and of guanine to cytosine, were not far from 1.
Pagina 32 - scientific" friendship would be as cold as a chess problem. "Scientific" teaching, even of scientific subjects, will be inadequate as long as both teachers and pupils are human beings. Teaching is not like inducing a chemical reaction: it is much more like painting a picture or making a piece of music, or on...
Pagina 43 - Such self-coordination of independent initiatives leads to a joint result which is unpremeditated by any of those who bring it about. Their coordination is guided as by an "invisible hand" toward the joint discovery of a hidden system of things.
Pagina 173 - John G. Kemeny, J. Laurie Snell, and Gerald L. Thompson, Introduction to Finite Mathematics (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1957), pp.
Pagina 43 - ... itself. The effectiveness of a group of helpers will then exceed that of any isolated member, to the extent to which some member of the group will always discover a new chance for adding a piece to the puzzle more quickly than any one isolated person could have done by himself. Any attempt to organize the group of helpers under a single authority would eliminate their independent initiatives and thus reduce their joint effectiveness to that of the single person directing them from the centre....
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Bibliografische gegevens
| Titel | Scientific Literacy and the Myth of the Scientific Method Illini books |
| Auteur | Henry H. Bauer |
| Editie | geïllustreerd |
| Uitgever | University of Illinois Press, 1992 |
| ISBN | 0252064364, 9780252064364 |
| Lengte | 180 pagina's |
| Citatie exporteren | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |