Chapter Outline

History and Nature

History and nature: the maturation of science from a primitive search for the truth to a logical, systematic search for understanding about the natural world.

Science as a Human Endeavor

Scientists have a variety of common characteristics:

• a curiosity about the world
• a preference to work alone or with others
• a pride in their work
• a desire to talk about their work
• a tendency to be influenced by their own beliefs, values, and religion
• a tendency to be influenced by the needs of society

Historical Perspectives

The science of primitive people:

• Spirits or souls are the givers and maintainers of life.
• Fire has a religious importance and is a divine gift.
• Demons cause natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
• Evil spirits cause disease.
• Causes and effects are a demonstration of the will of spiritual beings.

The science of Aristotle:

• The world is composed of a fixed number of types of individuals (species).
• Each individual grows according to a pattern.
• Earth is the center of the universe.
• All things are made of the same four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.
• Life forms do not change (evolve) over time.
• All knowledge comes from experience.
• The heavens move in a circle around Earth.

The science of the Renaissance:

• The universe is not centered around humans.
• Earth and its life forms have properties that can be studied and understood.
• Cause-and-effect relationships depend on laws of nature such as gravity and the conservation of energy.
• The human body contains organs and organ systems.
• Earth is not flat.
• Technology can be used to simplify human life (the printing press).
• The Moon and the planets orbiting the Sun have distinct properties.

The science of today:

• Scientific explanations must be logically consistent with known facts.
• Scientific explanations must be capable of being confirmed by experiment and observation.
• Scientific explanations must form a basis from which accurate predictions can be made.
• Scientific explanations must be open to criticism and revision as more information becomes available.

Milestones in Modern Science

A milestone in science is an idea or discovery that gives a huge jump in our understanding of the natural world. Listed below are a few of these milestones:

• the evolution of Earth
• the evolution of species
• the structure of matter
• the molecular basis of heredity