BIO 101 1nd Edition Lecture 13 Outline of Last Lecture II Fungi III Fermentation IV Groups of Fungi V Lichens VI Plants VII Phloem VIII Xylem IX pollen Outline of Current Lecture X Self Reflection Questions XI Language of Science XII Observation vs Inference XIII Rules of Science XIV Defining Biological Evolution Current Lecture The key is making connections between the information Do not learn pieces of information that is not connected to other pieces of information Venn diagrams charts concept maps Have to find ways to make the information interesting These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Science is valuable because you make predictions about what will happen about the causes If we know the causes then maybe we can change the outcome Do you think the Theory of Evolution is a valid scientific explanation of why there are so many different species of living things Yes there is enough evidence to suggest that many animals are related and have common ancestors Where have you learned about the Theory of Evolution The Theory of Evolution was taught in my high school biology class and some in elementary school biology How well do you understand the theory of evolution I have a very basic understanding of evolution The Language of Science Some words have different meanings in science o Hypothesis proposed explanation of a phenomenon o Theory in everyday speech proposed explanation of a phenomenon o Theory in science An explanation that is supported by a great deal of evidence and not contradicted by evidence Evidence is required for a theory to be scientific Observation vs Inference Observations are descriptions made using the senses o From observations we get facts Inferences are explanations of observations Observations are facts inferences are not facts Scientific Theory versus Scientific Law Scientific theories do not become facts or scientific laws A Scientific Law is a description of a phenomenon o Ex Law of Gravity A scientific theory is an explanation of a phenomenon o Einstein s theory of general relativity The Rules of Science Natural events must be explained by natural causes Nature works uniformly The way things happen now is the same way they happened in the past The same evidence must be available to all scientists Cold Fusion Comparison of how things work religion is not on test Scientists make observations of processes in the natural world o Then scientists interpret the evidence and draw conclusions from the evidence Religion depends on the assumption that a supernatural being exists and causes things to happen in the natural world Science only works in the natural world and that s all you can do with science It cannot explain anything about the supernatural world Cannot prove it exists can not prove it doesn t Defining Biological Evolution Biological Evolution o Means changes in the genetics of organisms o Describes how organisms change over time o Happens to populations over generations does not happen to individuals o It is not about the origins of life a hypothesis Biological evolution is supported by scientific evidence