CONPTT: The Nature of

ScienceExamining the parameters of scientific inquiry and thinking.

CONSISTENCY The results of repeated observations &/or experiments concerning a phenomenon are reasonably the same.

Different scientists collect consistent results when conducting identical experiments.

OBSERVABILITY• The event under study, or evidence of the occurrence of the event, can be observed (5 senses!) and explained.

• If we cannot observe it, we cannot explain it.

NATURAL• A natural cause (mechanism) must be used to explain why or how the naturally occurring events happens.

• The supernatural (which science cannot rule out) is not a part of scientific thought.

PREDICTABILITY• The natural cause (mechanism) of the naturally occurring event can be used to make specific predictions about future events.

• Valid scientific explanations must provide explanation for events that haven’t happened yet.

TESTABILITY• The natural cause (mechanism) of the naturally occurring event must be testable through the processes of science (controlled experiment!)

TENTATIVENESS• Scientific explanations & theories are subject to revision and correction.

• Scientific explanations & theories may be proven to be incorrect and therefore discarded.