SCIENCE

Science is defined as a systematized body of knowledge. It is derived from the latin word Scientia.

The Scientific Method

To add to this body of knowledge, one must use the scientific method. This method is the only method by which a person can arrive at the truth. The scientific method is composed of five steps. The first step is to ask a question. The second step is to do background research. After all, the question you are asking might have been already answered so there is no need to go any further with it because somebody else has already arrived at the truth. You may also do background research to broaden your understanding of your topic and therefore be able to use your knowledge in solving your problem later on in the process. However, if you find out that the question you asked has yet to be answered, then you may proceed to the third step which is to construct a hypothesis. A hypothesis is said to be an ‘educated guess’. If you want to find out if your hypothesis is correct, then you should proceed to the fourth step which is ‘testing your hypothesis by means of experimentation’. After finishing your experiment, you must proceed to the fifth step, which is ‘analyzing the data’. During this step, you must find out if your hypothesis is true or false. If it is true, then you have probably arrived at the ‘truth’. If it is partially true, which means that it is sometimes wrong and sometimes right, then you could construct a theory. If it is false, then you have to make another hypothesis and try to prove it, keeping in mind the things you learned from your previous exploits.

Pure and Applied Science

Science is oftentimes divided into two categories namely Pure Science and Applied Science. Pure science is the science that is concerned only with the development of scientific theories without thinking about their application or what they can be used for. Applied science, on the other hand, is concerned with utilizing pure science to solve practical problems. The study of energy, its different forms, and how to convert one form of energy into another is an example of pure science. However, if you apply it to practical problems like ‘getting a car to start’ is already an example of applied science. Applied science is especially important in the development of new technology.

Natural, Social, and Formal Science

Natural Sciences are the fields of science which are concerned with natural phenomena. The particular fields that are under this classification are chemistry, physics, astronomy, biology, and many others. The second classification, social science is concerned with man’s behavior and society. The sciences that are under this classification are psychology, sociology, political science, and economics. The third classification, formal science, includes subjects such as mathematics and logic. These two are not classified under either natural or social because they can belong to both. Furthermore, mathematics is considered as the most exact science.