Science is a human process

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SCIENCE IS A HUMAN PROCESS
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Definition of Science

• Science distinguishes itself from other ways of
  knowing and from other bodies of knowledge
  through the use of empirical standards, logical
  arguments, and skepticism, as scientists strive
  for the best possible explanations about the
  natural world.
• Scientific explanations must meet certain
  criteria. First and foremost, they must be
  consistent with experimental and observational
  evidence about nature, and must make accurate
  predictions, when appropriate, about systems
  being studied. They should also be logical,
  respect the rules of evidence, be open to
  criticism, report methods and procedures, and
  make knowledge public. Explanations on how the
  natural world changes based on myths, personal
  beliefs, religious values, mystical inspiration,
  superstition, or authority may be personally
  useful and socially relevant, but they are not
  scientific. National Science Education
  Standards

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Science has its limits

• Because humans are not perfect.

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How many Fs? Finished files are the resultof
years of scientific studycombined with the
experienceof years...
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Science is a human process

• How do humans misuse science?

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PSEUDOSCIENCE

• Is an established body of knowledge which
  masquerades as science in an attempt to claim a
  legitimacy as science which it would not
  otherwise be able to achieve on its own terms it
  is often known as fringe- or alternative
   science. The most important of its defects is
  usually the lack of the carefully controlled and
  thoughtfully interpreted experiments which
  provide the foundation of the natural sciences
  and which contribute to their advancement.
  (Johathan Hope Theodorus' Spiral, 2003)
• purports to use the methods and findings of
  science, while in fact they are faithless to its
  nature often because they are based on
  insufficient evidence or because they ignore
  clues that point the other way (Sagan, 1996)
• Fake science pretends to be scientific when in
  fact it does not follow the scientific method at
  all.
• Often relies upon eye-witness accounts as
  evidence.

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Examples of Pseudoscience
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As humans, we like to believe the fantastic.

• Its intriguing.
• Its fun.
• Its NOT always scientific.
• REMEMBER an important characteristic of being a
  good scientist is skepticism.

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In a minute you will enter a magic world...
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You will be witness to a miracle.
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You are part of an illusion...
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part of Copperfields illusion.
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In this simple program you will see,
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that Im able to tell via your computer what you
are thinking.
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Here you have 6 cards. Think of only one of
them. Focus on ONLY one. Dont click it. Im
going to find it. Think now.
Press spacebar...
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Take a deep look in my eyes and think your card.
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I dont know you and I cant see you. But Im
able to show your card.
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Take a look! I took your card!!!
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I knew you were going to choose that one!
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See you !
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Why should we worry about pseudoscience?

• It is providing easy answers
• dodging skeptical scrutiny
• casually pressing our awe buttons and
  cheapening the experience (Sagan, 1996, p. 13).

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PATHOLOGICAL SCIENCE

• Research that superficially appears to be
  science but that isn't. In particular,
  pathological science usually appears to be
  genuine and often revolutionary science, but is
  in fact produced largely by experimentor error
  and self-delusion.
• Science that uses the scientific method, but
  subverts the process, whether consciously or
  unconsciously, to get a desired outcome. Usually
  done for reasons of greed, fame and/or
  prejudice.
• Sick science.

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Examples of Pathological Science
Cold Fusion The most famous example of
pathological science was probably cold fusion,
announced in 1989 by Stanley Pons and Martin
Fleischmann of the University of Utah. These
researchers reported the discovery of a new
reaction from fusing deuterium oxide using a
palladium catalyst, and producing measurable
amounts of excess heat. Within days, teams around
the world were attempting to replicate this
finding, and initially reported success. Later,
more carefully controlled experiments, were not
so successful (and many of the initial reports of
success were later withdrawn by the researchers).
(from http//www.skepticwiki.org/wiki/index.php/Pa
thological_Science)
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Polywater A new form of water found in quartz
capillary tubes, with unusual physical properties
(such as a high density, high boiling point,
increased viscosity, and so forth). Hundreds of
papers were published on this subject. However,
since it could only be made in tiny quantities
(in tiny tubes), it was very difficult to study.
Later experimetnts gradually revealed that the
properties were not of the water, but of small
impurities introduced by badly cleaned glassware.
Better controlled experiments, with more rigorous
cleaning, showed that polywater did not exist.
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Craniometry Is the technique of measuring the
skull, both the dimensions of the different
features of the skull and the volume of the brain
cavity. Samuel George Morton used craniometry
in the 1700s to rank the different races of
humans in terms of intelligence. Like many
scientists of his day, Morton believed that there
is a correlation between intelligence and brain
size. He therefore tried to rank the races
according to skull size. Between 1820 and his
death in 1851, Morton collected over 1,000 human
skulls from around the world. After measuring
these skulls he concluded that whites have larger
skulls than other races and are therefore
superior. (from http//www.facinghistorycampus.
org
Samuel George Morton
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What was wrong with Morgans work?

• Mortons sub-samples were not inclusive. For
  example, of the 333 skulls in his American
  Indians sample, 155 were Inca from South
  America. Their skulls tended to be smaller than
  those of other Indian groups. At the same time,
  he lumped the relatively larger Iroquois skulls
  into a separate category called Barbarous
  Tribes. When he found that Indian skulls were
  smaller than other Caucasian skulls, he omitted
  them from his Modern Caucasian group.
• Mortons measurements were influenced by his
  subjective expectations. Morton used mustard seed
  to measure the cranial capacities of his skulls.
  Gould found that the seeds were often packed
  tightly in the European skulls but not in Indian
  or African American skulls. As a result, Morton
  inflated the sizes of European skulls and
  deflated those of other groups.
• Morton failed to correct his figures for gender
  and stature. Since females tend to be smaller
  than males, they have smaller skulls. Morton
  included more female skulls in his African and
  Indian groups than in his European group. The
  result was to inflate the size of European skulls
  and decrease those of other groups.
• Morton miscalculated some numbers and left out
  others. For example, he rounded down measurements
  for Egyptian skulls and rounded up measurements
  of German and Anglo-Saxon skulls.

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Scientific Method

• What is it?
• Why do we use it?

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Homework

• Find an example of either pseudoscience or
  pathological science. Write a brief summary (one
  short paragraph) of the topic and the reasons why
  it is either pseudoscience or pathological
  science.
• Read pp. 9 16 in your textbook.
• Take notes
• Summarize the main points
• Write down specific questions you have to bring
  to class next block

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Rest of Class

• Use your textbooks to find the following terms
  and define them both in words and mathematically
  (indicate the units we will most likely use)
• Motion
• Speed
• Velocity
• Acceleration