Scientific
Method and Western Culture
Paul
Barnum III
PHS
100A Environmental Studies
David
Terrell
Warner
Pacific College
March
21, 2014
Scientific
Method and Western Culture
It
has been said that the scientific method has had quite an influence on Western
culture over the years. Since I
have not spent much time studying either of these concepts, I am looking
forward to learning more about each of them. For this paper, I will discuss what the scientific method is
along with defining Western culture and how science has had an effect on what
it is today.
When
Western culture is discussed, many people have different opinions on what
things are responsible for shaping it into what it is today. In my research, I found that “Western
culture is a body of knowledge derived from reason. This foundation of reason has made possible a vast
accumulation of understanding related to reality or nature, including human
nature” (Western Culture Global, 2009, para. 1-2). There are many main ideals involved
with this understanding which include individualism, happiness, rights,
capitalism, science, and technology.
Since a lot of this understanding and development is based on science
and technology Western culture is also referred to as advanced culture. The thought behind this is that the
ideas and values within the culture promote the development and sustainment of
advanced civilization (Western Culture Global,
2009, para. 3-4). This is
where the scientific method comes in.
To
keep civilizations and culture moving forward into the future, scientists have
to test new ideas by critically examining evidence. To examine this evidence, scientists use the scientific
method. In very basic terms, this
method:
Involves looking at the world
around you, coming up with an explanation for what you observe, testing your
explanation to see if it could be valid, and then either accepting your
explanation (for the time being…after all, something better might come along!) or
rejecting the explanation and trying to come up with a better one. (Helmenstine, 2014, para. 1)
This ongoing process has been proven over the years to be
very effective in validating different observations. These observations can range from very simple to some of the
toughest theories ever tested.
Typically there are four to
five steps in this process, but it really depends on how you break up the steps
while doing your research. The
first step is to develop a hypothesis.
The textbook states that “scientist’s address their questions by devising explanations that they can test. A hypothesis is a statement that
attempts to explain a phenomenon or answer a specific question” (Withgott & Laposata, 2013, p. 11) .
Next the scientist comes up
with predictions based on their hypothesis. These are specific statements that can be directly
tested. Then the scientists test
the predictions. This can be done
by gathering evidence that could disprove the hypothesis. The main form of testing is done from
experimentation. During the
experiment scientists try to manipulate different conditions that can change. It is important to stage multiple tests
of the same comparisons to ensure that the test results are valid (Withgott & Laposata, 2013, p. 11) .
Finally, the scientists have to
record data and then analyze and interpret the results. A lot of times the data is not clear
which may require more experiments and retesting until a conclusive result can
be reached. If these experiments
disprove their original hypothesis, a new one is formulated and the process
starts over again (Withgott & Laposata, 2013, p. 11) .
Overall,
I feel that science makes sense as one of the core values of Western
culture. As cultures grow and move
forward, new ideas and thinking have to be tested and using the scientific
method is a solid process to use.
Because this method is centered heavily on reason, it is no surprise
that is has played an important role in influencing so many things including
Western culture.
References
Helmenstine, A. M. (2014). The scientific method.
Retrieved March 17, 2014, from About.com Chemistry: www.chemistry.about.com
Western Culture Global. (2009). What is western culture?
Retrieved March 17, 2014, from Western Culture Global:
www.westernclutureglobal.com
Withgott, J., & Laposata, M. (2013). Environment: the
science behind the stories (5th Ed.). New York: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
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