WHAT IS SCIENCE?

Science Definition


The word science comes from the Latin "scientia," meaning knowledge.

How do we define science? According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, the definition of science is "knowledge attained through study or practice," or "knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, esp. as obtained and tested through scientific method [and] concerned with the physical world."

What does that really mean? Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena. The term science also refers to the organized body of knowledge people have gained using that system. Less formally, the word science often describes any systematic field of study or the knowledge gained from it.

What is the purpose of science? Perhaps the most general description is that the purpose of science is to produce useful models of reality.

Most scientific investigations use some form of the scientific method. You can find out more about the scientific method here.

Science as defined above is sometimes called pure science to differentiate it from applied science, which is the application of research to human needs. Fields of science are commonly classified along two major lines:
- Natural sciences, the study of the natural world, and
- Social sciences, the systematic study of human behavior and society.

Science ;Merit and demerit

MERIT AND DEMERIT OF SCIENCE

Science is a mixed bag. It has in it merits as well as demerits.

Science has made life for the common man very comfortable in modern age. Now even an average man can afford to enjoy the comfort of such things as electricity and electrical devices such as the fan , bulb desrt cooler , the refrigerator , TV , etc. Well-to-do-people have other devices in their homes such as telephone, electric oven , computer , AC , etc. Those who can afford have cars. Medical science has prologed man’s existence on earth for a number of years. There are food clothing for all. Many people live in good houses. All this has been possible only because of science.

science has some demerits also. It given so much power to man which probably he cannot keep under his control. Science has also given to man some destructive articles such as guns , pistols , the rifles , cannon , bombs , warships , missiles , etc.

Man is today sitting on a huge stockpile of explosive material which can destroy his very existence on this earth in twinkling on of an eye even as a result of slight error or misunderstanding on his part.

Unless man destroy weapons of mass destruction , he cannot have real happiness on this earth. So, preparation for war negates all efforts of man towards progress. Progress may seem to be impressive and even tremendous but at present it is not free from corresponding dangers which are disastrous and fatal in nature.