Basic classifications

Scientific fields are commonly divided into two major groups: natural sciences, which study natural phenomena (including biological life), and social sciences, which study human behavior and societies. These groupings are empirical sciences. It means, that the knowledge must be based on observable phenomena and capable of being tested for its validity by other researchers working under the same conditions. There are also related disciplines that are grouped into interdisciplinary and applied sciences, such as engineering and health science. Within these categories are specialized scientific fields that can include elements of other scientific disciplines but often possess their own terminology and body of expertise. Mathematics, which is classified as a formal science, has both similarities and differences with the natural and social sciences. It is similar to empirical sciences in that it involves an objective, careful and systematic study of an area of knowledge; it is different because of its method of verifying its knowledge, using a priori rather than empirical methods. Formal science, which also includes statistics and logic, is vital to the empirical sciences. Major advances in formal science have often led to major advances in the empirical sciences. The formal sciences are essential in the formation of hypotheses, theories, and laws, both in discovering and describing how things work (natural sciences) and how people think and act (social sciences).

A scientific method seeks to explain the events of nature in a reproducible way, and to use these findings to make useful predictions. This is done partly through observation of natural phenomena, but also through experimentation that tries to simulate natural events under controlled conditions. Taken in its entirety, a scientific method allows for highly creative problem solving whilst minimizing any effects of subjective bias on the part of its users.

Task 3 Answer the questions:

1. What language did the word “science” come?

2. What is science?

3. What do natural sciences study?

4. What does the word “empirical” mean?

5. What kind of sciences is math?

Task 4 Write the following numerals and the appropriate measurement unites:

ex. 50 ft Fifty feet

a). 300,000 f _________________________________________________

b). 15 in. ____________________________________________________

c). 1.95 lb. _________________________________________________

d). 250.7 lb. _________________________________________________

e). 500 t. _________________________________________________

f). 4,05 f _________________________________________________

g). - 7* F _________________________________________________

h). +5* C _________________________________________________

i). 2.5% _________________________________________________

j). 54.9 kg __________________________________________________

k). 900.5 lb. __________________________________________________

l). -100* F _________________________________________________

m). 1,500,900 $ _________________________________________________

n). 4,3 in. _________________________________________________

o). 1,999,999 f _________________________________________________

p). 250,000 f _________________________________________________

q). +350.9* C _________________________________________________

r). 1,500,000,000 $ __________________________________________________

s). 3,400 lb. _________________________________________________

Lesson 8

“Science”

Text B

Task 1 Read and remember the words and word combinations to the Text B:

Although – хотя; problem – проблема, задача; curiosity-driven – вызванный любопытством; imaginable – вообразимый; response – ответ; to be troubled – быть обеспокоенным, потревоженным; to adopt – принимать; cockpit – кабина пилота; jet fighters – реактивный истребитель; to be prompted – быть вызванным; attempt – попытка; evidence – свидетельство; to gather – собирать; to fit – подходить; to accept – принимать; falsifiable – фальсифицируемый; to prove – доказывать; unsatisfactory – неудовлетворительный; to modify – модифицировать; causational relationship – причинная связь; to survive – выжить; logically reasoned – логически обоснованный; self-consistent – уверенный в себе; behavior – поведение; various – различный; according to – согласно; preference – предпочтение; to ensure – убеждать; to achieve – достигать; transparency – прозрачность; peer review process – тщательное изучение; conclusions – выводы; to double-check – перепроверить; to determine – определить; dependable – зависимый.

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