Introduction to Introduction to Environmental Environmental

ScienceScienceSection 2 of Chapter 1Section 2 of Chapter 1The Nature of ScienceThe Nature of Science

Mr. ManskopfMr. Manskopf

Notes can also be found at Notes can also be found at http://www.manskopf.com

The word The word sciencescience comes from the Latin comes from the Latin word word scientiascientia, meaning “knowledge.”, meaning “knowledge.”

The word The word sciencescience comes from the Latin comes from the Latin word word scientiascientia, meaning “knowledge.”, meaning “knowledge.”

Goals for these notesGoals for these notes

Describe the steps that a scientists Describe the steps that a scientists would use to figure out problems in would use to figure out problems in our environment.our environment.

What Science is and is notWhat Science is and is not Science is an organized way of studying the Science is an organized way of studying the

natural world, and the knowledge gained natural world, and the knowledge gained from such studies.from such studies.

Science assumes that the natural world Science assumes that the natural world functions in accordance with rules that do functions in accordance with rules that do not change.not change.

Science does Science does notnot deal with the deal with the supernatural.supernatural.

Science relies on evidence from Science relies on evidence from measurements and observations.measurements and observations.

Scientific ideas are “supported,Scientific ideas are “supported,”” not not “proven,” and “accepted,“proven,” and “accepted,”” not “believed in. not “believed in.””

How Science WorksHow Science Works

In order to satisfy our In order to satisfy our curiosity about why curiosity about why things are the way things are the way they are and about they are and about how things happen how things happen the way they do, we the way they do, we must..must..

Making Observations: Making Observations: using our senses and using our senses and toolstools

What are some tools a What are some tools a scientist may use?scientist may use?

ObservationsObservationsMake some observations from this photo

Make some observationsMake some observations

ObservationObservation

ObservationObservation

Hypothesis and PredictingHypothesis and Predicting

Is a testable idea Is a testable idea that can be lead that can be lead to further to further investigation.investigation.

Can you give an Can you give an example?example?

What can you tell from this What can you tell from this data?data?

HypothesisHypothesis

HypothesisHypothesis

HypothesisHypothesisCholera is caused by people drinking contaminated water.

Which pump appears to be causing the 1854 London Cholera outbreak?

•Spot Map

•See patterns in data

•How could you test this hypothesis?

Collecting DataCollecting Data To study the To study the

hypothesis data hypothesis data must be collected must be collected and analyze.and analyze.

Conclusions must Conclusions must be drawnbe drawn

Results must be Results must be repeatablerepeatable

Results should be Results should be communicatedcommunicated

Collecting DataCollecting Data

Collecting DataCollecting Data

Drawing ConclusionsDrawing Conclusions

Repeating ExperimentsRepeating Experiments

Communicating ResultsCommunicating Results

What does this model show us about What does this model show us about how mercury gets to humans?how mercury gets to humans?

Community Analysis and Community Analysis and Feedback – Peer ReviewedFeedback – Peer Reviewed

Present their work and get feedback from other researchers at conferences

Write papers about their study

Submit papers for publication in a journal

Habits of a ScientistHabits of a Scientist

CuriosityCuriosity SkepticismSkepticism Openness to Openness to

New IdeasNew Ideas Intellectual Intellectual

HonestyHonesty Imagination and Imagination and

CreativityCreativity

What is going on here?What is going on here?1999 Earthquakes in yellow

How can we use the scientific method to study our impacts on the environment?

Environmental ethics is the application of ethical standards to the relationship between humans and the environment.

Anthropocentrism: Humans and human welfare most important

Biocentrism: All living things have value; some may be more important than others

Ecocentrism: Well-being of a species or community more important than that of an individual