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What Science is

It can be said that science is a cumulative body of knowledge about the natural world, obtained by the application of a peculiar method practiced by the scientist. It is known that the word “science” itself is derived from the Latin “scire”, to know, to have knowledge of, to experience. Fundamental and applied sciences are commonly distinguished, the former being concerned with fundamental laws of nature, the latter engaged in application of the knowledge obtained. Technology is the fruit of applied science, being the concrete practical expression of research done in the laboratory and applied to manufacturing commodities to meet human needs.

The word “scientist” was introduced only in 1840 by a Cambridge professor of philosophy who wrote: “We need a name for describing a cultivator of science in general. I should be inclined to call him a “scientist”. “The cultivators of science before that time were known as “natural
philosophers”. They were curious, often eccentric, persons who poked inquiring fingers at nature. In the process of doing so they started
a technique of inquiry which is now referred to as the “scientific method”.

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Text 2

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Scientific Method And Methods Of Science

It is sometimes said that there is no such thing as the so-called “scientific method”; there are only the methods used in science. Nevertheless, it seems clear that there is often a special sequence of procedures which is involved in the establishment of the working principles of science. This sequence is as follows:

1) a problem is recognized, and as much information as possible is collected;

2) a solution (i.e. a hypothesis) is proposed and the consequences arising out of this solution are deduced;

3) these deductions are tested by experiment, and as a result the
hypothesis is accepted, modified or discarded.

2. Make sure you understand the following words and phrases:

1) to recognize a problem;

2) to collect information;

3) to propose a solution;

4) as much as possible;

5) to deduce the consequences;

6) to accept the hypotheses;

7) to modify the hypothesis;

8) to discard the hypothesis.