NATS 1840 Final: NATS 1840 FALL LECTURE NOTES.docx

• School: York University
• Department: Natural Science
• Course: NATS 1840
• Professor: Carl Wolfe

Document Summary

Everything that surrounds you, from just outside your skin to the edge of the universe. The environment consists of all those parts of the physical world that help to sustain life. If a part of the environment is under stress (a change), then its ability to sustain life may be threatened. The study of how the environment works, and of humanity"s impact upon it: a science, both theoretical and applied science (understand the changes that take place and the causes of the. Interdisciplinary (draws upon many varieties of science knowledge) change) The systematic study of how and why nature works the way it does. Uses empirical methods (testing one"s offered explanations) to test possible explanations of observations. A rational process drawing upon two forms of reasoning . Seeks to uncover basic underlying principles so that predictions may be made. Inductive reasoning synthesis, creativity, inspiration and imagination: deductive reasoning logic, self-consistency, rigour, mathematics.