Science, Medicine and Technology Notes
Science, Medicine & Technology – Lecture 2 14th September, 2012
Global Warming – Paul Waithe * Differences between climate change & global warming: Global warming is the overall increase in the earth’s temperature. Climate change may be in either direction. For instance; more hurricanes, more wind etc. Comprehensive way at looking at weather patterns. * Climate change over the past century is directly linked to global warming. * Global warming could result in the world getting colder. Disruption in weather patterns which translates to climate change. * Climate Change may be caused by: (i) Variations in solar radiation, (ii) Deviations in the Earth’s orbit, (iii) Mountain building & continental drift. (iv) Changes in greenhouse gas concentration. * Greenhouse gas concentration:
Causes of Global Climate Change:
Greenhouse Gases: CO2, NH4, H2O, SO2.
Man’s activity causes great emission of CO2. E.g. Emissions/pollution caused by combustion.
September 21, 2012
Scientific Methods & the Nature of Science
Inductive Reasoning in Science
The inductive believers that for a generalisation [metals expand when heated], [acids turn blue litmus red] to be legitimate. * The number of observations on which it is based must be large. * The observations must be repeated under a wide range of conditions, * No observation must conflict with the universal law.
Difficulties with induction: * Exceptions may disprove law, * Induction cannot be justified on logical grounds, * The number of observations that is ‘enough’ varies, * The number of variation required could be infinitely large. * Observations cannot be completely objective
Deductive Reasoning in Science * Syllogism: An instance of a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premises); a common or middle...
Examples of syllogism: * Major premise: All fish have gills * Minor Premise:
Global Warming – Paul Waithe * Differences between climate change & global warming: Global warming is the overall increase in the earth’s temperature. Climate change may be in either direction. For instance; more hurricanes, more wind etc. Comprehensive way at looking at weather patterns. * Climate change over the past century is directly linked to global warming. * Global warming could result in the world getting colder. Disruption in weather patterns which translates to climate change. * Climate Change may be caused by: (i) Variations in solar radiation, (ii) Deviations in the Earth’s orbit, (iii) Mountain building & continental drift. (iv) Changes in greenhouse gas concentration. * Greenhouse gas concentration:
Causes of Global Climate Change:
Greenhouse Gases: CO2, NH4, H2O, SO2.
Man’s activity causes great emission of CO2. E.g. Emissions/pollution caused by combustion.
September 21, 2012
Scientific Methods & the Nature of Science
Inductive Reasoning in Science
The inductive believers that for a generalisation [metals expand when heated], [acids turn blue litmus red] to be legitimate. * The number of observations on which it is based must be large. * The observations must be repeated under a wide range of conditions, * No observation must conflict with the universal law.
Difficulties with induction: * Exceptions may disprove law, * Induction cannot be justified on logical grounds, * The number of observations that is ‘enough’ varies, * The number of variation required could be infinitely large. * Observations cannot be completely objective
Deductive Reasoning in Science * Syllogism: An instance of a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed propositions (premises); a common or middle...
Examples of syllogism: * Major premise: All fish have gills * Minor Premise: