Week 13: Natural Sciences Weekly Review and Assignments

This week we introduced the Natural Science Area of Knowing.  Our conversation centered around 3 central ideas for the week:

1. Scientific knowing is an evolving system that limits uncertainty through observation, experimentation, and inductive/deductive reasoning.
2. Science as a language, ethos, and community reveals innate features of human identity and processing.
3. Scientific objectivity and cultural diversity, particularly religious knowing, are often at odds for various reasons. Why?

We have explored the first 2 central ideas, and will continue with 2 and start 3 next week.

Here is a brief recap of our activities:

Monday 4/15/13
1. We watched the symphony of science music video and discussed some of the creative use of language in expressing the excitement and aesthetic of Scientific knowing over and against its often emotionless caricature.


 2. We questioned why it is that modern scientific knowing is lacking despite our incessant dependence on it. (We watched some juggalo questioning strategies to reinforce the point).
3. We considered the constantly changing disciplines and sub-disciplines of Science, and considered its similarity to the TOK Knower Profile.
4. We looked at how new paradigms clarify old ones, not destroy them. This establishes an important continuity in Scientific Knowing. 

5. We analyzed the ways in which the Scientific Method is produced and how it operates.


Wednesday 4/17/13

6. We questioned our own assumptions about the nature of observation in experimentation by recreating the double slit experiment.
7. We considered the language and syntax behind "Hypothesizing" over and against "prediction" and "guessing" by using an excerpt from Hawking's A Brief History of Time. 
8. We discussed the last experiment we did in our respective Biology and Chemistry classes , analyzing the methodologies and goals of our pursuit of knowledge academically.  We shared our personal experiences with poorly modeled experiments which often limit our understanding of science to "discovering definitions".

9. We looked at a list of "happy accidents" in Science with the expectation of a Monday discussion from your findings.
10. Lastly, we got out of our seats for some nice bull@)*% science using "Brain Gym" stretches to "massage our Carotid artery to increase oxidizing of the blood" while treating autism/ADHD with knee stretches and ear pulls.  We then looked at a quick quiz of "Yes or B.S" popular scientific statements (analyzing for both phrasing, content, and fallacy).

Your assignment for the week:

TOK Readings:

1.       153-157

2.       158-164

3.       165-170

4.       171-176

5.       177-182

6.       183-189

AIO: Evolution

7.       PP: Charles Darwin or Copernicus

8.       Special audio notes on:

a.       Intelligence Squared Debate:  “Science Refutes God"

b.      Ted Talk: Ben Goldacre, “Bad Science”

9.       Guided, in-class note assignments (need these for Monday’s reading discussion)

a.       Definition of Science

b.      List 10 sub-disciplines of science

c.       Research a moment of “science serendipity”

d.      Find an example of “bad science”