The picture we learn in school of “the scientific method” tends to greatly simplify what science is, how it works, and the logic of how we learn from it. We will also be concerned with developing a deep understanding of all of those points. This class will examine questions like the following: What distinguishes science from “pseudoscience?” How does science explain the world? Is the ultimate goal of science to uncover laws of nature? Why should we feel allowed to believe in things we cannot directly observe, like quarks and genes? Do scientific theories give us literally true accounts of how the world is, or are they just useful tools for predicting and making sense of things? What are the most basic concepts and principles at work in scientific inquiry?What principles do all of the sciences have in common? How are the scientific theories of today related to the scientific theories of yesterday and tomorrow?
What is Science And How Should We Interpret Its Results?
