Exam (elaborations)
NST2601 ASSIGNMENT 3 2023
- Course
- Nst2601 (NST2601)
- Institution
- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
NST2601 ASSIGNMENT 3 2023
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NST2601ASSIGNMENT 3 2023
NST2601 ASSIGNMENT 3 2023
FOR ASSISTANCE CONTACT :0609038993
, Assignment 03 (Written
QUESTION 1 [10 MARKS]
List and explain three specific aims in Natural Sciences and Technology.
There are three broad subject-specific aims in natural sciences that relate to the
purposes of learning science: doing sciences; knowing the subject content and
making connections; and understanding the uses of science. The natural sciences
aim to acquire knowledge about the natural world. The scientific method is a key
feature of what makes the natural sciences so scientific. The underlying
methodology that binds all disciplines within the natural sciences together is so
important that we may even use it to distinguish "real" or "good" science from "bad"
science and even pseudo-science. Within this method, evidence and justification
play a very important role. Each discipline within the natural sciences aims to
produce knowledge about different aspects of the natural world. In this sense, each
discipline within the natural sciences will tweak its methodology somewhat to fit its
particular purpose and scope. Nevertheless, all disciplines within the natural
sciences will broadly have a shared underlying scope, methodology and purpose.
Now, we tend to place much trust in the natural sciences. "Scientific proof" has
almost become some sort of guarantee of the quality or veracity of knowledge.
Unfortunately, this trust can be abused. The cosmetics industry may seduce you to
buy their latest anti-wrinkle cream by fiddling with statistics and plastering "scientific
sounding language" on the packaging of its products. Research funded by entities
that benefit from its findings will often eliminate inconvenient data and truths. If a
study (albeit indirectly) funded by a multinational oil company, for example, claims
that climate change is not real, we have reason to doubt the quality of its knowledge.
In this sense we should also approach "scientific research" on products sold by
pharmaceuticals with caution. It is worth remembering that knowledge from the
natural sciences is not necessarily correct, simply because it is scientific. The natural
sciences have come a long way since they originated in Ancient Greece (or earlier-
depending how you start counting), both in terms of knowledge production and
methodology. Our current understanding of the natural sciences and its methodology
is primarily based on the most recent developments of the area of knowledge within
the last few centuries. Much knowledge that was previously considered scientific,
has now been discarded. If your doctor would use Hippocrates' humor theory to
diagnose a tumour, you would probably be outraged. As knowledge within the natural
sciences develops, some incoherent knowledge gets discarded and at times even
paradigm shifts occur. The natural sciences are in se open to scrutiny, because peer
review and falsification are currently part of its methodology. At this point in time,
there are some shared methods and values that underpin the nature of knowledge
production in the natural sciences. However, these values and shared methods
within the scientific community might change over time. In this sense, it is difficult to
predict how knowledge within the natural sciences will evolve.
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