Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang
7 Naturalis grandeur in this view of life …,” writes Charles Darwin in the concluding sentence of“Therethe Origin of Species, and this chapter tunes into that sense of wonder of the natural worldOnseen through science, the collaborative enterprise by which we become knowledgeable aboutasplanet, the universe and ourselves. In this chapter we will develop tools to critically examineourextent to which science has special reporting rights on nature. This chapter also explores andthescience’s more mundane dimensions: the humble and persistent effort going into messyrecognizesdemanding scientific work. Finally, we aim to develop the sensitivity and capacity that informedandneed to navigate an increasingly scientific policy landscape.citizens’is science, and what is not? Looking atWhatorigin of the word—its etymology—doestheas biology, chemistry, physics and theitsubjects in group 4 of the IB DiplomaotherScience refers to a body ofProgramme.as well as a method for acquiringknowledgeknowledge. The term’s origins in thethatWestern intellectual tradition, and itsmodernwith knowledge to the exclusion ofconflationknowledges, has sometimes been a sourceothertrouble. Humans have long been askingofabout the natural world and thosequestionspractices started long beforeknowledge-makingmodernity. This chapter explores theEuropeansciencesI . S C O P Ehelp us very much, as the Latin scientianotsimply, knowledge. You might knowmeans,167
recent human activity called science,relativelyspecific context of its origin, its globaltheits current challenges and the knowledgereach,it brings.thatthe natural sciences were described using theIfof a map, we would see that it does notmetaphora fixed territory. Even a term such as “nature”havea domain of contestable boundaries. Sir Isaacislaw of universal gravitation expandedNewton’sdomain of nature by unifying the terrestrialthecelestial realms, showing that the same forcesandon apples on the ground and on the moonactthe cosmos. More recently, astrobiology hasinlooking for life using eyes in the skies andbeenarms that probe worlds across our solarroboticCloser to home, the debate over the scopesystem.science touches on the problem of drawing aofbetween nature and culture—a debateboundaryway to approximate the boundaries ofAnotherscience is to consider not what it appliesnaturalis practically impossible to prove that aItstatement is true because to douniversalwould require observing every possiblesoacross space and time. It isexampleeasy to show that a theory iscomparativelytrue. Consider the statement “All swansnotwhite”, which would require us to see allarein all possible spaces before we accept itswansobvious problem with this is that oneTheswan could be hiding somewhere.blackif we observe millions of white swans,Evenand perseveringly, the best wemeticulouslysay is that the hypothesis is provisionallycanIn contrast, we can more easily proveaccepted.“Not all swans are white”, by finding onethatswan. Therefore scientists, according toblackwidely influential work, should focusPopper’scontradicting these universal laws, not ononbut how science is and ought to be done. Forto,one aim is to distinguish science fromexample,which is what Karl Popper calledpseudo-science,demarcation problem (demarcation means tothea line between things). Popper proposed andrawto this problem, arguing that somethinganswerscientific if it could be falsified; that is,wasand proven false. This idea was calledtestedand has had a lasting effect onfalsificationism,we think about certainty and the nature ofhowtells us that scientific facts andFalsificationismcan only ever be proven false, not true,theoriesany claim to the contrary is more likely toandtelemarketing than serious science. Scientificbeafter Popper is tentative, falsifiableknowledgereplicable. Or is it? Later in this chapter weandthe extent to which Popper’s definition isexploregood or even viable way to define science.aeven the theory “All swans areHowever,which we know to be untrue, is stillwhite”,through empirical observation. Thistestableit an example of Popperian science,makespseudo-science. A theory that “All swansnotsecretly communicating with each otherareoverthrowing humankind”, in contrast,aboutnot falsifiable—the existence of this secretiscannot be proven false. Couldcommunicationin technology change this inadvancementsfuture? Advancements in technology andthedo play a role in separating what ismethodslabelled the set of non-falsifiable claimsPopperA surprisingly large set ofpseudo-science.scholarship at the time of his writing,acceptedas psychology and astronomy, fell undersuchcategory. Chapter8 explores where thatthisthe human sciences. Later, this chapterleavesto what extent science actuallyquestionsthrough falsification.progresses7I. Scopescientific knowledge.relevant to the human sciences as well.Box 7.1: More on falsificationismas true.science from what is not.verifying them.168
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7 Natural
is grandeur in this view of life …,” writes Charles Darwin in the concluding sentence of
“There
the Origin of Species, and this chapter tunes into that sense of wonder of the natural world
On
seen through science, the collaborative enterprise by which we become knowledgeable about
as
planet, the universe and ourselves. In this chapter we will develop tools to critically examine
our
extent to which science has special reporting rights on nature. This chapter also explores and
the
science’s more mundane dimensions: the humble and persistent effort going into messy
recognizes
demanding scientific work. Finally, we aim to develop the sensitivity and capacity that informed
and
need to navigate an increasingly scientific policy landscape.
citizens’
is science, and what is not? Looking at
What
origin of the word—its etymology—does
the
as biology, chemistry, physics and the
it
subjects in group 4 of the IB Diploma
other
Science refers to a body of
Programme.
as well as a method for acquiring
knowledge
knowledge. The term’s origins in the
that
Western intellectual tradition, and its
modern
with knowledge to the exclusion of
conflation
knowledges, has sometimes been a source
other
trouble. Humans have long been asking
of
about the natural world and those
questions
practices started long before
knowledge-making
modernity. This chapter explores the
European
sciences
I . S C O P E
help us very much, as the Latin scientia
not
simply, knowledge. You might know
means,
167
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