Chapter 1: Scientific Thinking

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Chapter 1 Scientific Thinking

• Your pathway to understanding the world

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Learning Goals

• Describe what science is.
• Describe what biology is.
• Describe the major themes in biology.
• Describe the scientific method.
• Describe how the scientific method can be used to
  help make wise decisions.

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What is a fact? I prefer body of evidence. As
new evidence is revealed, science changes!
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Scientists

• Are curious
• Ask questions about how the world works
• Seek answers
• Does the radiation released by cell phones cause
  brain tumors?
• Are anti-bacterial hand soaps better than regular
  soap?
• Do large doses of vitamin C reduce the likelihood
  of getting a cold?

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Biology is the study of life.

• What role does biology play in your life?

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Defining Life
Influenza Virus

• 5 Characteristics Unique to Living Things
• Composed of cells
• Interacts and responds to other living things
• Grows and reproduces
• Actively transforms energy
• Changes and adapts over time leading to a wide
  diversity of organisms

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Why should we learn about Biology?

• All educated citizens should have a basic
  understanding about where we came from.
• Evolution
• Reproduction and Genetics

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Why should we learn about Biology?

• All educated citizens should have a basic
  understanding of themselves.
• Be healthy
• Nutrition
• Avoid disease
• Interactions with other living things

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Why should we learn about Biology?

• All educated citizens should have a basic
  understanding about where were heading.
• Human evolution has made us the dominant animal.

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The most important questions in biology

• What is the chemical and physical basis for life
  and its maintenance?
• How do organisms use genetic information to build
  themselves and to reproduce?
• What are the diverse forms that life on earth
  takes and how has that diversity arisen?
• How do organisms interact with each other and
  with their environment?

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The Cell is the smallest unit of life. 2 Main
Kinds of Cells 1. Prokaryotic 2. Eukaryotic
These cells differ structurally, but the chemical
code (DNA) uses the same 4 letters of the
alphabet, A, G, C, and T.

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Hierarchical Organization
Many levels of organization within the
biosphere. A cell is lifes basic unit of
structure and function in all organisms Biology
Each cell consists of an enormous number of
chemicals cooperating to embody the properties of
life Chemistry Organisms interact with other
living things and their environment Ecology

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Hierarchical Organization

• Until recently, 5 main kingdoms was the
  classification scheme.
• Bacteria and Archaea are prokaryotes. New
  evidence reveals important genetic differences.
• The domain Eukarya, contains 4 Kingdoms of
  eukaryotes.
• Debate continues on the kingdom level as new DNA
  comparisons are revealed.

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The Power of Evolution Biologys Unifying
Theme Using fossil records, we trace the
historical evolution of the bear. From the
fossils of primeval bacteria (3 billion years
ago), we recognize connections to our own cells.
All Life is connected, and evolution is the
unifying theme!
An evolutionary tree is only a hypothesis.

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Evolution at Work!

1. Environmental Pressure taking the antibiotic
2. Genetic variability the gene for resistance
3. Successful Reproduction pass that gene on to
   the next generation.

Abuse and misuse of antibiotics is speeding the
evolution of resistant bacteria.

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How do you know that is true?

• The single question that underlies critical
  thinking
• Critical thinking To question with an open mind
  and search for truth using reason and logic.

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Can we trust the packaging claims that companies
make?

• clinical drug trials and evidence
• CEO says people are really not scientifically
  minded enough to be able to understand a clinical
  study.
• Argument against labeling Genetically Modified
  foods people wont understand what it means.

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Cloning Endangered Species
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• You dont have to be at the mercy of charlatans,
  advertising, or slick packaging.
• Learn exactly what it means to have scientific
  proof or evidence.
• Learn what it means to think scientifically.
• Learn how to use the knowledge we gain to make
  wise decisions
• Biological Literacy
• Use the process of scientific inquiry to
  understand real world issues
• Communicate your thoughts
• Integrate into your decision making

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1.3 The scientific method is a powerful approach
to understanding the world.

• If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong,
  then Buddhism will have to change
• Dalai Lama, 2005
• Science helps us understand when we should change
  our mind.

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Scientific Thinking Is Empirical

• based on experience and observations that are
  rational, testable, and repeatable.

Which answer below does not exemplify knowledge
gained through empirical testing?

1. Sugar tastes sweet.
2. The sky looks blue during the daytime.
3. I can smell freshly popped popcorn from a
   distance.
4. A rabbits foot can bring good luck.

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• The scientific method is a particularly effective
  approach because it is empirical, rational,
  testable, repeatable, and self-correcting.

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Does taking echinacea reduce the intensity or
duration of the common cold?
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The goal is to Propose a situation that will
give a particular outcome if your hypothesis is
true but that will give a different outcome if
your hypothesis is not true.
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Does echinacea help prevent the common cold?
Hypothesis Echinacea reduces the duration and
severity of the symptoms of the common cold.
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Repeatable experiments increase our confidence.
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1.10 When do hypotheses become theories?

• Two distinct levels of understanding that
  scientists use in describing our knowledge about
  natural phenomena
• A theory is a hypothesis for natural phenomena
  that is exceptionally well-supported by the data.
• A theory is broad in scope and has been tested
  repeatedly by independent researchers who come to
  the same conclusions, a large general body of
  supporting evidence.

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• Interpreting graphs and statistics can help us
  draw meaningful conclusions.
• Does having access to a textbook help a student
  to perform better in a biology class?

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Watch out for biases
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1.16 There are limits to what science can do.

• The scientific method will never prove or
  disprove the existence of God.
• Understand love?
• What is beauty?