Unit 2. What Is Science?

What comes tШ ЦТЧН аСОЧ вШu СОКr tСО аШrН “sМТОЧМО”?

What is science, in your opinion?

What kind of people are scientists?

Do you like visiting science museums? Look at the pictures (pic. 3, a , b, c) and say, why science museums attract so many people.

c

Pic. 3

20

Вou КrО РoinР to rОКН К НiМtionКrв НОПinition oП tСО аorН “sМiОnМО”. AnКlвгО it КnН МompКrО tСО notions: “sМiОnМО” КnН

“”. TСОn suРРОst iНОКs on аСКt К sМiОntist is.

SCIENCE

1) (the study of) knowledge which can be made into a system and which usually depends on seeing and testing facts and stating general laws:

It was one of the great discoveries in science. Science cannot answer all our questions; 2) a branch of such knowledge. Especially: a) anything which may be studied exactly: Driving a car is an art, not a science; b) any of the branches usually studied at universities, such as physics, economics, etc.: She was studying a science subject.

A. Listen to the speaker and practise pronunciation of the words related to science:

B. Match the words and their definitions:

21

C.Use a more appropriate word in the context:

1.TСТs РКЯО tСО … tТЦО tШ ЯОrТПв СТs НТsМШЯОrв. (sМТОЧtТst/sМСШХКr)

2.The book by the American political … Samuel Huntington is entitled

“TСО CХКsС ШП CТЯТХТгКtТШЧs”. (sМТОЧtТst/sМСШХКr)

3.He was a good … who had gained distinction in philosophy in the university. (scientist/scholar)

4.He'll be a clever … in a few years. (scientist/scholar)

5.Perhaps you could deliver a … report to us? (science/scientific)

6.… reports what men already know practically or instinctively. (science/scientific)

7.Scientists who do experiments to learn more about the world are practicing … sМТОЧМО. (pure/applied)

8.MКЧв … sМТОЧМОs МКЧ ЛО МШЧsТНОrОН ПШrЦs ШП ОЧРТЧООrТЧР.

(pure/applied)

9. … sМТОЧМО МКЧ prШЯО tСКt sШЦОtСТЧР Тs ЧШt МШЧtrКrв tШ tСО ХКаs ШП Чature as we understand them at this point. (theoretical/applied)

22

10. The search for a cure for cancer and discovering a solution for manic depression are examples of … research. (pure/applied)

11.StuНвТЧР tСО ЧКturО ШП МОХХ РrШаtС аШuХН ЛО МШЧsТНОrОН … rОsОКrМС.

(pure/applied)

12.Benjamin Franklin was engaged in … research when he tried to compare lightening with static electricity generated by feet rubbing on a rug.

He did not do it to find a better way to illuminate Philadelphia at night nor how to transmit TV piМturОs. HО Уust аКЧtОН tШ “ФЧШа.” (pure/applied)

Study the categories of pure science given in the table and complete the statements about three branches of pure science:

PURE SCIENCE

Overlapping Sciences

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa /A0880382.html

1.Physical sciences НОКХ аТtС (К) … КЧН КХХШа us tШ НОsМrТЛО (Л) …

2.Life sciences НОКХ аТtС (К) … КЧН КХХШа us tШ НОsМrТЛО (Л) …

3.Earth sciences НОКХ аТtС (К) … КЧН КХХШа us tШ НОsМrТЛО (Л) …

23

Here is a screenshot of a website which shows the options for choosing PhD research programmes (findaphd.com). Propose examples of research subjects within these disciplines and classify them according to the branches of science.

Find out some details about the research of your groupmate, in

particular:

if he/she is doing research in the field of pure or applied science;

if he/she is acquainted with any scholars in related spheres;

if he/she has read any books by prominent scientists;

if he/she knows what laws/concepts/approaches, etc. of theoretical sci-

ence his/her research is based on;

if he/she has published any scientific papers;

if he/she can anticipate practical results of his/her research.

Useful phrases:

Asking for information

I’Н ХТФО tШ ФЧШа …

CШuХН вШu tОХХ ЦО …

CШuХН I КsФ …

In pairs, discuss the following statements about science. Make a conclusion on whether you agree with them. Account for your opinion. Then compare your ideas with those of your groupmates.

1.Science has been impartial and impersonal.

2.Science has maintained vigilance over its method.

3.Science has suspended judgment when in ignorance.

4.Science has had tentative belief systems or theories.

24

SCIENCE

TСО аШrН “science” МШЦОs ПrШЦ tСО LКtТЧ аШrН “scientia ” аСТМС

ЦОКЧs “ФЧШаХОНРО”. SМТОЧtТsts ЦКФО ШЛsОrЯКtТШЧs КЧН МШХХОМt ПКМts ТЧ tСО field they work in. Then they arrange facts orderly and try to express connections between the facts and try to work out theories. Then they have to prove the facts or theory, correct and make sufficient and sound evidence. So scientific knowledge is always growing and improving.

Science has great influence on our life. It provides the base of modern technology, materials, sources of power and so on. Modern science and technology have changed our life in many different ways. For example, the

development of antibiotics and other drugs helps to control many diseases, tСО ТЧЯОЧtТШЧ ШП “ОХОМtrШЧТМ ЛrКТЧ” Шr МКХМuХКtТЧР ЦКМСТЧО аТХХ ХОКН tШ К

higher level of information culture. Science improved the living standards, communications, promoted contact between people and government, made it possible to discover and develop new sources of energy.

The greatest scientists were very persistent and were sure that they

would succeed. Even during times of disappointing experiments they

НТНЧ’t РТЯО up КЧН аОЧt ШЧ аШrФТЧР Шut tСОТr tСОШrТОs. TСОв аОrО КХаКвs

ready to begin everything from the very beginning. They worked a lot, and tСТs аКsЧ’t ПШr ЦШЧОв.

The aim, the main purpose of the greatest scientists of all times was always to find out the truth. So science is growing and prospering and it is the engine of progress.

A. Find equivalents for the word-combinations which can help to describe general types of activities which scientists are in-

b) collect facts, arrange facts, make sufficient and sound evidence, work out a theory.

B. Write a brief report (of 50 words) on general activities which you are engaged in while doing research. You should use the given above collocations.

26

Scan text B and pick out the reasons for people to take up science. Copy the table in your notebook, then study the motivation of your group and fill in the table. What conclusion can be made?

REASONS TO TAKE UP SCIENCE

One can do science because one believes that practically and effectively it benefits the world. Many of great scientists have had this as their chief conscious reason. One can do science because it represents the truth. It is rather as though one was avidly interested in all the countryside between this town and the next: one goes in for science for an answer, and is given a road between the two. One can also do science because one enjoys it. Many people like unraveling puzzles. Scientific puzzles are very good ones, with reasonable prizes. So that either without examining the functions of science, being indifferent to them or taking them for granted, a number of men go in for research as they would for law; living by it, obeying its rules, and thoroughly enjoying the problem-solving process. This is a perfectly valid pleasure, among them you can find some of the most effective of scientists. Nowadays I should allow more for accident; many men become scientists because it happens to be convenient and they may as well do it as anything else. But the real urgent drives remain.

In groups make lists of 10 most prominent scientists. Compare

your lists. Say, if you know the names of the scientists in the pictures (pic. 4, a d). IП вou Нon’t knoа, tСОn trв to РuОss. WСКt Нis-

coveries/inventions are these scientists famous for?

27

Pic . 4

Point out research areas of the scientists below:

What is a stereotypical depiction of a scientist? Read the jokes about famous scientists and make a conclusion on what kind of people scientists are.

A. Suggest 5 traits important for scientists. Then read the article (text C) and pick out 10 scientific attitudes scientists should possess, according to the author. Before reading make sure you know the words in the box:

A scientist believes that with any functional thing that happens around us there is a reason behind it. This reason can be explored, experimented upon, explained and recorded for historical record. A scientist's belief set mostly revolves around the concept of understanding the world around us and conducting work in order to understand the world even better. This discovery often leads to advancements in many areas that improve quality of life or a more complete understanding of what affects the human race, such as the laws of nature, how diseases work (and thus, how they can be prevented or cured) or how elements can serve humankind, such as carbon. He or she also shows curiosity about events and objects. A scientist should not be bias about scientific data, conclusions, or interpretations based on the evidences. A scientist should be open-minded by listening to

29

criticisms from his or her peers. Peer review and vetting is one of the most important aspects of scientific attitudes being applied to experimentation. It is very important for a scientist to come up with original ideas and in the process to be able to accept criticisms when there is failure. When a scientist comes up with ideas he or she should be willing to share important information and must be truthful about it. While scientists are considered the most intellectual people on the planet, they should demonstrate humility with that intelligence and not brag about their knowledge and expertise. It is also important for scientists to be responsible for their actions. Ultimately, the attitude of a scientist creates an open minded and humble approach to the world around us; an attitude that takes nothing for granted and always wants to explore for the next factual answer.

B. Write a profile of your attitudes to see if you could be a good scientist (50 80 words).

Brainstorming: what are the reasons of resistance/opposition to scientific discovery by scientists (see examples below)?

In 1543 Nicolaus Copernicus puЛХТsСОН СТs trОКtТsО “OЧ tСО RОЯШХu- tТШЧs ШП tСО HОКЯОЧХв SpСОrОs”, аСТМС prОsОЧtОН К СОХТШМОЧtrТМ ЦШНОХ

of the universe. It took about 200 years for a heliocentric model to re-

place the Ptolemaic model.

Lord Kelvin regarded the announcement of Roentgen's discovery of x- rays as a hoax. As late as 1907 he was still resisting the discovery, by Ramsay and Soddy, that helium could be produced from radium. Throughout his long and distinguished life in science Kelvin never dis-

carded the concept that the atom is an indivisible unit.

Mendel's theory of genetic inheritance was resisted from the time of its announcement, in 1865, until the end of the century. Mendel's conception of the separate inheritance of characteristics ran counter to the predominant conception of joint and total inheritance of biological charac-

teristics.

Scientists sometimes miss discoveries that are literally right before their eyes.

30

A

Fill in the missing words:

1.… science is sometimes used to refer specifically to physics and mathematics, but chemistry and biology may also be considered as examples.

2.Many … sciences can be considered forms of engineering.

3.Astronomy refers to such branch ШП purО sМТОЧМО Кs … sМТОЧМОs.

4.… sМТОЧМОs comprise the fields of science that involve the scientific

study of living organisms, such as plants, animals, and human beings.

5.SМТОЧtТsts СКЯО tШ … ПКМts ТЧ ШrНОr tШ ЦКФО sШuЧН ОЯТНОЧМО.

6.SМТОЧtТsts … ШЛsОrЯКtТШЧs to determine the range of variability of a phe-

nomenon.

Across:

1. The first stage of research before collecting facts (in plural).

3. The process of learning something that was not known before, or of finding someone or something that was missing or hidden.

31

5.The actual facts or information about something, rather than what people think.

6.To improve something.

Down:

2. A machine, tool, or system that someone has made, designed, or thought of for the first time.

4. It helps to prove something.

C

Take part in the quiz about science and invention:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/worldservice/quiznet/quizengine?ContentTy pe=text/html;quiz=1518_science

How do you assess your results?

32