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Scientific advances have transformed the world. However, science can sometimes get things wrong, and at times, disastrously so. Understanding the basis for scientific claims and judging how much confidence we should place in them is essential for individual choice, societal debates, and development of public policy and laws. We must ask: what is the basis of scientific claims? How much confidence should we put in them? What is defined as science and what is not? This book synthesizes a working definition of science and its properties, as explained through the eyes of a practicing scientist, by integrating advances from philosophy, psychology, history, sociology, and anthropology into a holistic view. Crucial in our political climate, the book fights the myths of science often portrayed to the public. Written for a general audience, it also enables students to better grasp methodologies and helps professional scientists to articulate what they do and why.
Translates science into lay terms, allowing a broad audience to gain an accurate understanding of the inner workings of scientific fields and debates
Discusses a topic highly relevant to our current political climates, helping readers to distinguish between claims of 'fact' and actual evidence, and avoid being manipulated by pseudoscience
Refrains from claims of the intellectual superiority of science – this book simply explains how science works from the building blocks up to its outward public communication
Introduction
Part I:13. Putting it all together to describe 'what science is and how it really works'.
Description
Scientific advances have transformed the world. However, science can sometimes get things wrong, and at times, disastrously so. Understanding the basis for scientific claims and judging how much confidence we should place in them is essential for individual choice, societal debates, and development of public policy and laws. We must ask: what is the basis of scientific claims? How much confidence should we put in them? What is defined as science and what is not? This book synthesizes a working definition of science and its properties, as explained through the eyes of a practicing scientist, by integrating advances from philosophy, psychology, history, sociology, and anthropology into a holistic view. Crucial in our political climate, the book fights the myths of science often portrayed to the public. Written for a general audience, it also enables students to better grasp methodologies and helps professional scientists to articulate what they do and why.
Translates science into lay terms, allowing a broad audience to gain an accurate understanding of the inner workings of scientific fields and debates
Discusses a topic highly relevant to our current political climates, helping readers to distinguish between claims of 'fact' and actual evidence, and avoid being manipulated by pseudoscience
Refrains from claims of the intellectual superiority of science – this book simply explains how science works from the building blocks up to its outward public communication