PHY 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Scientific Theory, Pseudoscience, Empiricism
Document Summary
Science- the systematic study of structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation. The physical world and what effects the physical world. It"s a method or process for knowing (learning) about the physical universe. Testimony, authority, revelation, mystical vision, empiricism, rationalism. Testimony/ authority- being told something you should know from a trusted source or someone very educated in the subject. Revelation- involves a supernatural and/or a divine being. Ex. writings from a holy book or scroll. Empiricism- knowledge by education, experience or observation. Rationalism- starting with an idea(s) and then by using logic or reasoning coming to a conclusion. An experiment is a way of setting up an observation. Experiment is a way of setting up an observation. A scientific theory is entirely off observation. Has to match all of the observations. The next observation might mess up your theory. Otherwise revise idea or scrap and start over. Must be the potential (observation) to show it wrong.
