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- Cheatsheet of other things.
- SCIENCE
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- scientific method:
- One possible way of getting knowledge in science, based on empiricism
- (acquiring information through our senses).
- Other ways (than the scientific method) of acquiring truth in science exist,
- e.g. deductive reasoning from axioms, which is based on rationalism rather
- than empirism.
- Scientific method means usually working in these steps:
- 1. Ask a question about the world.
- 2. Form a hypothesis based on the question.
- 3. Design an experiment to test the hypothesis.
- 4. Carry out the experiment.
- 5. Analyze the results and extract new knowledge from them.
- theory:
- An explanation of an aspect of the real world that can be tested using the
- scientific method. A theory can't be proven, only disproved or supported by
- evidence, using inductive reasoning.
- theorem:
- Statement which can be proven or disproven using deductive reasoning.
- - science:
- Systematic effort that searches for and organizes verifiable knowledge which
- can be used to make predictions about the universe.
- Some sciences can fall under multiple categories (e.g. linguistics can be
- a social science but also a formal science, depending on the specific
- subfield).
- Science (and its research) is eiter basic (studies the basic natural laws)
- or applied (applies basic knowledge in practice, e.g. medicine, technology,
- ...).
- - strict sciences:
- Use very reliable methods, principle and tools (scientific method,
- deductive reasoning, falsifyability, math, ...) of gaining knowledge.
- - formal sciences:
- Study the abstract formal languages of science, create tools to be used
- by other sciences, don't generally use scientific method and empiricism,
- though these can be used in their context too (e.g. "experiments with
- numbers"). Formal sciences produce theorems, which can (and should) be
- completely proven. Use deductive reasoning.
- - mathematics
- - logic
- - statistics
- - theoretical computer science
- - information theory
- - theoretical linguistics
- - empirical sciences:
- Primarily use the scientific method, produce theories, which can't be
- proven, only disproved or supported by evidence. Use inductive
- reasoning.
- - natural sciences:
- Try to be as exact as possible, maximize objectivity and minimize the
- influence of the observer, are highly skeptical, require
- falsifiability.
- - physics
- - chemistry
- - biology
- - medicine
- - earth sciences
- - social sciences:
- Study individuals and their relationships on a high level. While still
- using the scientific method and scientific principles, they allow
- other methods of gaining knowledge (speculation, ...), are not
- strictly exact, are more subjetive and allow the observer to interact
- with the subjects (which is often the only way to gain knowledge).
- - psychology
- - sociology
- - anthropology
- - history (partly)
- - archeology (partly)
- - economics
- - geography
- - linguistics
- - law
- - humanities:
- Study the aspects and products of human culture, do not use scientific
- method and so don't produce theories (nor theorems). The methods are
- speculative and critical.
- - philosophy
- - literature
- - religion
- - arts
- - history (partly)
- - archeology (partly)
- - pseudoscience:
- Something that tries to look like strict science but doesn't fit the
- definition of it.
- - astrology:
- Does not correctly predict the world, doesn't use scientific method, often
- gives unfalsifyable theories.
- - numerology
- - alchemy
- - flat earth theory
- - homeopathy
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