What is science about?

[bahman]

I think science is about discovering how things function.

What do you think?

[Philosophy Explorer]

This comes from my online encyclopedia:

"the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment."

The basic idea is whatever you determine can be used to predict. If it can't be peer verified, it's useless and not science (Popper).

PhilX

[bahman]

This comes from my online encyclopedia:

"the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment."

The basic idea is whatever you determine can be used to predict. If it can't be peer verified, it's useless and not science (Popper).

PhilX

Yes, I agree with that definition. By that my definition is more compact. We of course can only know how things function through observation.

[wtf]

I think science is about discovering how things function.

It's about 50 minutes between English and gym class.

[bahman]

I think science is about discovering how things function.

It's about 50 minutes between English and gym class.

That is already in my definition.

[Greta]

Curiosity.

We are all scientists as children but most of us grow out of it and do the practical things needed to build a relatively sustainable life. Some, however, do not grow out of it and the price they pay for their eternal childhood is being paid a 100th the salary of merchants with equivalent levels of knowledge and skills.

Many would say they happily make that sacrifice for the love of their vocation - delight at the remarkable (and innocent) systems of nature, the mystery and exploration of it all, the excitement of discovery and insight, the bouncing of ideas, the sheer mental exercise and the hope that the work will meaningfully contribute to others. Also, obviously there's ego and ambition, but they are universals.

[Dubious]

Do we still have to ask!

[wtf]

It's about 50 minutes between English and gym class.

That is already in my definition.

Are you saying we thought of the same lame joke?

[bahman]

It's about 50 minutes between English and gym class.

That is already in my definition.

Are you saying we thought of the same lame joke?

I am afraid that I didn't get your joke.

[bahman]

Curiosity.

We are all scientists as children but most of us grow out of it and do the practical things needed to build a relatively sustainable life. Some, however, do not grow out of it and the price they pay for their eternal childhood is being paid a 100th the salary of merchants with equivalent levels of knowledge and skills.

Many would say they happily make that sacrifice for the love of their vocation - delight at the remarkable (and innocent) systems of nature, the mystery and exploration of it all, the excitement of discovery and insight, the bouncing of ideas, the sheer mental exercise and the hope that the work will meaningfully contribute to others. Also, obviously there's ego and ambition, but they are universals.

I agree.

[bahman]

Do we still have to ask!

What do you mean?

[wtf]

I am afraid that I didn't get your joke.

Guy goes to prison. His first night there, he hears somebody call out, "47," and all the other prisoners start laughing out loud. Then another guy calls out, "118!" and everyone cracks up. New guy asks his cellmate what's going on. Cellmate says, "We're not allowed to talk at night, so instead we have a bunch of really funny jokes and we give each one a number. So when we hear the number, we know what the joke is and that's why everybody laughs."

Wanting to get in on the fun, the new guy calls out, "12!' and there's dead silence. New guy asks his cellmate why. Cellmate says, "Some people just can't tell a joke."