'There was a belief that all living beings on earth were created by God. However, Darwin and Wallance came up with the idea that life forms evolved on the earth from previously existing forms of life'.
What does the above excerpt illustrate about the nature of Science ?
Understanding the Nature of Science: Belief vs. Evolution
The provided excerpt discusses a shift in understanding the origin of life on Earth. It contrasts an older belief with a newer scientific theory.
- Old Belief: All living beings were created by God. This represents a faith-based or religiously held view.
- Newer Scientific Idea: Life forms evolved from previously existing forms, as proposed by Darwin and Wallace. This represents a theory based on observation and evidence.
Science Illustrates Value Neutrality
The excerpt primarily illustrates that Science is value neutral. Here's why:
Science aims to explain the natural world using observable evidence and testable hypotheses, rather than relying on pre-existing beliefs, values, or faith.
- The excerpt shows a transition from an explanation rooted in a belief system ('created by God') to one based on scientific inquiry ('evolved').
- Science seeks objective explanations. The theory of evolution by Darwin and Wallace provides a naturalistic explanation for life's diversity, distinct from the potentially value-laden concept of divine creation.
- By proposing evolution, science offered a framework that could be tested and investigated empirically, setting aside the inherent values or doctrines associated with creation beliefs.
Analyzing Other Options
Let's look at why the other options are less suitable based on this specific excerpt:
- Science progresses by following the scientific method: While Darwin and Wallace certainly used aspects of the scientific method, the excerpt focuses on the *outcome* (a changing idea) rather than the *process* (the steps of the method itself).
- Science is tentative: This is also a characteristic of science, as ideas can change with new evidence. The excerpt does show a change in understanding, which aligns with tentativeness. However, the core contrast presented is between a belief system and a scientific explanation, highlighting science's attempt to remain objective and separate from non-scientific values. Therefore, 'value neutral' is presented as the key takeaway in this context.
- Science is interdisciplinary: The excerpt doesn't provide information about how different scientific fields connect or contribute to the theory of evolution.
In conclusion, the shift described highlights science's commitment to seeking explanations based on evidence, independent of societal or religious values, thus demonstrating its value-neutral nature.
Important Questions from Nature and Structure of Science
Under which organisation's aided project did NCERT develop an instructional material titled "Science is Doing"?
In which year did E. L. Thorndike develop the theory of trial and error learning?
What involves two cell divisions during which the chromosome number is halved?
In which stage, science should be introduced as separate disciplines with emphasis on experiments / technology and problem solving?
- Read the excerpt given below and answer the question.
French scientist Henri Becquerel was working on phosphorescent materials, which glow in the
dark after exposure to light. He believed that sunlight was the reason that the crystal would burn
its image on a photographic plate. On a stormy day in $1896$, he decided to leave it for few days
and resume his experiments later. A few days later, he took his crystal out of a darkened drawer.
He noticed that the image burned on the plate was 'fogged' which meant that the crystal had still
emitted rays, despite the lack of sunlight.
What does the above excerpt illustrate about science ?
