Science Definitions

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses science and its many and varied definitions. The author defines science as mainly man's unique ability to reason in a manner that is at least limitedly influenced by emotion but concedes that the term 'science' can mean different things to different people. The paper discusses terminology such as scientific inquiry, scientific law and theory, inductive and deductive reasoning. The author also looks at variables, controls and correlation in understanding science. In closing, the paper also describes a topic in biology; the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccination MMR connection to autism, which often gives the public difficulty because of the nature of scientific definitions and ideas, which differ from the public's understanding of them.

From the Paper:

"Science is a varied and dynamic issue and term, within it there is a sense of many definitions and variations on a theme of mans' unique ability to reason in a manner that is at least limitedly influenced by emotion. The term "science" means many things to many people and different things to nearly everyone, with the general undercurrent that "science" is a respectable inquiry based process of human discovery. The history of science is relatively infinite, beginning with the very first human question about how things, the world, the universe and society works yet what we think of as Science today is directly associated with the development of naturalism and its emphasis on observational standards for the discovery of the truths about nature and life."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Matson Ronald R. PhD, Scientific Laws and Theories May 1, 2008 <http://science.kennesaw.edu/~rmatson/Biol%203380/3380theory.html>.
• Purcell, Edward A. The Crisis of Democratic Theory: Scientific Naturalism & the Problem of Value. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky, 1973.
• Sawin, Enoch I. "The Scientific Method and Other Bases for Evaluation Procedures." ETC.: A Review of General Semantics 62.4 (2005): 386.
• Steuernagel, T. Increases in Identified Cases of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Policy Implications. Journal of Disability Policy Studies, 16(3), 2005, 138.
• Trochim, William, M. K. The Research Methods Knowledge Base. Cincinnati, OH: Atomic Dog Publishing 2001.

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