Poll: Is Biology A Science?
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Your GF is dead wrong. What's most amazing is that she considers Genetics a Science, but not Taxonomy, also known as Phylogenetics. Taxonomy is constructed using Genetics!
We have this discussion all the time in school. Half the class is on one side, and half is on the other. I'm on the side that it is not. I feel that a series of observations and guesses based upon them is not science. I'm of course not talking about all of biology as a field, but more about things like ecology and ethology. Biology is science, ecology is not, just making that clear. For exaples, once it was said that all ravens are black. Then one day, a white one was seen, so they corrected it. This is not a scientific method, that is guesswork. Maybe I'm just being ridiculous, but that's the way I feel.
So what about ecology is just making observations and guesses?GeorgW said:
Ecology also produces testable hypotheses, and then runs experiments. Your example demonstrates a poor understanding of the kinds of questions ecologists are really tackling. No offense to you of course, I'm just saying: ecologists do more than look for white ravens.
Probably my favorite part of learning ecology was animal behavior, and in specific studying questions of nature vs nurture. The initial questioning of "Is nature or nuture more predominant" sounds very heady and philosophical, but it's been studying in extremely interesting ways by making hypothesis about things like the development of songs in song birds, and then running tests on those birds (i.e. depriving them of model songs as they are learning, brain lessioning, etc). People are then able to apply what they learn about animal behavior in nature, and make some predictions about human behavior, instincts, etc. Which is pretty useful stuff, I think.
And these experiments done in animal behavior and learning fall within the subset of ecology.
Ecological studies of the affects of humans on coral reefs or the rain forest also are scientific as well. My TA in my ecology class was studying strategies for reef regeneration, i.e. examining which sorts of substrates coral larvae prefer to settle and grow on, and specifically how sponges aid in the growth of coral reefs through a form of symbiosis.
This is all studied by making observations in the field, forming testable hypothesis, and then returning to the field to test those hypothesis.
How is that not science?
Grand_Arcana said:
It is a science, however XKCD is correct in saying that it's just applied Chemistry... etc.
I don't particularly enjoy Biology, however I admit that it is an extremely useful field in a practical sense.
I don't particularly enjoy Biology, however I admit that it is an extremely useful field in a practical sense.
personally i'm more curious as to how you can define biology as an art.
But yeah, biology is a science, so is chemistry for that matter. Hell most psychology is science too, and this is the most that doesn't include freud's psychobabble.
But yeah, biology is a science, so is chemistry for that matter. Hell most psychology is science too, and this is the most that doesn't include freud's psychobabble.
What is XKCD and why on earth would she not accept something as clearly a science as biology (come on, molecular biology not a fucking science?) as a science.similar.squirrel said:
An art is something that's created by human means. Biology, when ignoring genetic engineering, isn't an art, it's a field meant to broaden the understanding of organic processes.
Science: an effort to study and understand that which is based on the testing and gathering of information.
Art: an effort to understand that which is based on self-examination, social examination and extrapolation.
Entertainment: an effort to use self-examination, social examination and extrapolation to better understand the self and society.
(note: "that which is" is used as a noun)
Biology: definitely a science, in all respects.
Social sciences: on the borderline between art and science
(note that there are very few mediums that are entirely art)
Video games: straddle the line between art and entertainment
(there are also very few mediums that exist purely to entertain. I could cite pornography or children's toys, but those don't really follow the same train of thought)
Art: an effort to understand that which is based on self-examination, social examination and extrapolation.
Entertainment: an effort to use self-examination, social examination and extrapolation to better understand the self and society.
(note: "that which is" is used as a noun)
Biology: definitely a science, in all respects.
Social sciences: on the borderline between art and science
(note that there are very few mediums that are entirely art)
Video games: straddle the line between art and entertainment
(there are also very few mediums that exist purely to entertain. I could cite pornography or children's toys, but those don't really follow the same train of thought)
I believe you're thinking of astronomy. Astrology isn't science (possibly an art, but I believe that the things you get in newspapers are more entertainment than anything else).kuyo said:
Two months later, I've finally remembered where I've seen that lab coat before. You live in the studio flat behind my garden!SckizoBoy said:Your GF is joking about I'm sure... hell, I used to be like that as well (well, when I was 12) until I discovered the joys of studying creepy-crawlies (entomologist). Anyway, taken literally 'science' is just Latin for 'knowledge'. Meh...
Still, these days, science is so interdisciplinary that physics is applied to biological studies in a lot of cases (e.g. single molecule spectroscopy, TEM and so on... god that shit bores me...)
BTW, *this* is my lab coat:Rascarin said:
*blink* *blink* Zanna? Oh hey!Rascarin said:
You found if you're going to be working at our lab this summer?
It follows the scientific method so yes
At high school level, biology is definatly one of the easiest sciences, but at Degree level it basically just becomes chemistry/physics in relation to plants/animals/nature/whatever else
At high school level, biology is definatly one of the easiest sciences, but at Degree level it basically just becomes chemistry/physics in relation to plants/animals/nature/whatever else