Is Biology a science?
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Original post by bertstare
Isn't this essentially saying that medical research isn't science because it doesn't conclude with a definitive law, and simply gives us recommendations based on best available evidence? Do you really think medical research isn't science?
Not a "real" science, I will add it it helps me a whole lot, and it's very useful but that's not the point.
And yes, since medicines improve over time, we are just going on recommendations based on the the best available evidence. There is no conclusion. Whereas in science, theories are eventually either regarded as law when proven or disregarded when disproven.
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(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by redtortoise
No it can't, chemistry can only explain biochemistry, a small branch of biology
no.. wait.. biochemistry a branch of chemistry, its a chemical discipline, biochemistry is basically organic chemistry, having said this everything in biology has some sort of chemical explanation.
Original post by Red one
Human Biology is a science, all those plants stuff they teach you in A-level is not what I regard as STEM.
Human biology is also not a science, please read my earlier posts.
Anything in Biology can be explained by chemistry and physics anyway
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Original post by Mubariz
Human biology is also not a science, please read my earlier posts.
Anything in Biology can be explained by chemistry and physics anyway
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Anything in Biology can be explained by chemistry and physics anyway
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thats exactly what i said in my last reply lol, everything in biology has some sort of chemical explanation, so is it worth studying a biology degree if you equally like chemistry as well?
Original post by Mubariz
Human biology is also not a science, please read my earlier posts.
Anything in Biology can be explained by chemistry and physics anyway
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Anything in Biology can be explained by chemistry and physics anyway
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You sir are putting your personal spin in classifying what is a scientific discipline...
the dictionary defines a science as such:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science
The science council defines science as follows:
http://www.sciencecouncil.org/definition
Finally:
Leading philosopher A C Grayling commended the Science Council’s definition
“Because 'science' denotes such a very wide range of activities a definition of it needs to be general; it certainly needs to cover investigation of the social as well as natural worlds; it needs the words “systematic” and “evidence”; and it needs to be simple and short. The definition succeeds in all these respects admirably, and I applaud it therefore”
Original post by majmuh24
#BiophysicsFTW
Original post by vnupe
You sir are putting your personal spin in classifying what is a scientific discipline...
the dictionary defines a science as such:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science
The science council defines science as follows:
http://www.sciencecouncil.org/definition
Finally:
Leading philosopher A C Grayling commended the Science Council’s definition
“Because 'science' denotes such a very wide range of activities a definition of it needs to be general; it certainly needs to cover investigation of the social as well as natural worlds; it needs the words “systematic” and “evidence”; and it needs to be simple and short. The definition succeeds in all these respects admirably, and I applaud it therefore”
the dictionary defines a science as such:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/science
The science council defines science as follows:
http://www.sciencecouncil.org/definition
Finally:
Leading philosopher A C Grayling commended the Science Council’s definition
“Because 'science' denotes such a very wide range of activities a definition of it needs to be general; it certainly needs to cover investigation of the social as well as natural worlds; it needs the words “systematic” and “evidence”; and it needs to be simple and short. The definition succeeds in all these respects admirably, and I applaud it therefore”
This is the first definition from your link
a*branch*of*knowledge*or*study*dealing*with*a*body*of*facts*or*truths systematically*arranged*and*showing*the*operation*of*general*laws:*the mathematical*sciences.
Biology does not do this.
Induction: reasoning to establish general rules or conclusions drawn from facts or examples
This is now from your second link, the same point.
You have essentially strengthened my argument with sources my friend, try again.
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Biology is most certainly a science though I'm not sure about certain other subjects...
Original post by Mubariz
This is the first definition from your link
Biology does not do this.
This is now from your second link, the same point.
You have essentially strengthened my argument with sources my friend, try again.
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Biology does not do this.
This is now from your second link, the same point.
You have essentially strengthened my argument with sources my friend, try again.
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From the first definition in the provided link... Biology absolutely studies, classifies and systematizes according to a "set of laws"... though I believe your particular issue is dealing with what is in fact a law... to which this definition would apply:
a statement of fact, deduced from observation, to the effect that a particular natural or scientific phenomenon always occurs if certain conditions are present.
That definition specifically identifies the science of biology... whether you want to believe it or not or can be convinced of this point is another matter entirely...
Original post by vnupe
From the first definition in the provided link... Biology absolutely studies, classifies and systematizes according to a "set of laws"... though I believe your particular issue is dealing with what is in fact a law... to which this definition would apply:
a statement of fact, deduced from observation, to the effect that a particular natural or scientific phenomenon always occurs if certain conditions are present.
That definition specifically identifies the science of biology... whether you want to believe it or not or can be convinced of this point is another matter entirely...
a statement of fact, deduced from observation, to the effect that a particular natural or scientific phenomenon always occurs if certain conditions are present.
That definition specifically identifies the science of biology... whether you want to believe it or not or can be convinced of this point is another matter entirely...
Give me an example of a law in Biology, a scientific law.
Hell, just define what Biology studies, what is life, you can state what is alive and what isn't but you cannot tell me what is life, why do things live why do things die, what is the life force (if such a thing exists) this is the basis of biology.
A scientific law is a statement based on repeated experimental observations that describes some aspect of the world. A scientific law always applies under the same conditions, and implies that there is a causal relationship involving its elements.
Another definition of a scientific law. There are no such in Biology.
For example all fish lay eggs? Well sharks are fish and they give birth to live young.
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Original post by alow
Obviously. 
Chemistry is basically all physics, does this make it less of a science? Of course not.
Maybe you need to rethink what "science" means.
Chemistry is basically all physics, does this make it less of a science? Of course not.
Maybe you need to rethink what "science" means.
It does if you're a proud member of the Physics Master Race.
inb4 that stick man comic strip re: maths
Original post by TheGameOfScience
do you consider biology a science? because i have been told that biology is basically all chemistry...
Biology is its own science but I of course biology and chemistry interlink in some aspects!xx
Original post by Mubariz
Give me an example of a law in Biology, a scientific law.
Hell, just define what Biology studies, what is life, you can state what is alive and what isn't but you cannot tell me what is life, why do things live why do things die, what is the life force (if such a thing exists) this is the basis of biology.
Another definition of a scientific law. There are no such in Biology.
For example all fish lay eggs? Well sharks are fish and they give birth to live young.
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Hell, just define what Biology studies, what is life, you can state what is alive and what isn't but you cannot tell me what is life, why do things live why do things die, what is the life force (if such a thing exists) this is the basis of biology.
Another definition of a scientific law. There are no such in Biology.
For example all fish lay eggs? Well sharks are fish and they give birth to live young.
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I won't give you one, but instead will provide a website that proposes 17 laws of biology.
http://www.onbelief.org/Articles/Are-there-Laws-of-Biology.htm
I anticipate your reply...
Original post by bertstare
Summed up brilliantly.
Original post by vnupe
I won't give you one, but instead will provide a website that proposes 17 laws of biology.
http://www.onbelief.org/Articles/Are-there-Laws-of-Biology.htm
I anticipate your reply...
http://www.onbelief.org/Articles/Are-there-Laws-of-Biology.htm
I anticipate your reply...
I ask you, if these are so great why have they not been accepted, and why are they just on some website I've never heard of?
First law, in reality, however much you try due to the laws of thermodynamics you can never have equilibrium. You may be able to get very close, but it doesn't exist, he's just gone and said something which is a fact anyway.
All the others are the same, basically taken from one of the other sciences or blatantly obvious and circular. Some actually made me laugh. I'm not gonna bother to explain the rest though
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Original post by Mubariz
I ask you, if these are so great why have they not been accepted, and why are they just on some website I've never heard of?
First law, in reality, however much you try due to the laws of thermodynamics you can never have equilibrium. You may be able to get very close, but it doesn't exist, he's just gone and said something which is a fact anyway.
All the others are the same, basically taken from one of the other sciences or blatantly obvious and circular. Some actually made me laugh. I'm not gonna bother to explain the rest though
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First law, in reality, however much you try due to the laws of thermodynamics you can never have equilibrium. You may be able to get very close, but it doesn't exist, he's just gone and said something which is a fact anyway.
All the others are the same, basically taken from one of the other sciences or blatantly obvious and circular. Some actually made me laugh. I'm not gonna bother to explain the rest though
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Now you are putting increased limitations on the very laws you asked me to provide... in essence you are moving the goal posts...
Again, I have provided you evidence, and it is common and accepted knowledge that biology is a science, even by your protracted definition.
When you choose to believe is another matter entirely...
Also are you the ultimate arbitrator on all things scientific? If you do not know or subsequently accept does it make it less true?
In direct answer to your question of "are there any Biological Laws", I present this reference:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2816229/
(edited 9 years ago)
While Biology may not be as difficult as Chem or Phys, we need it just as much as the others. It's a science just as much as the other two.
For the record, I take all three, and although Bio is my favourite, I do find Chem and Phys a lot harder.
There's barely any plants, on the OCR spec at least, in comparison to the actual biology. Just the boring water/sucrose transport at AS and plant hormones at A2.
There's a lot of common ground between pure bio and the human bio spec.
For the record, I take all three, and although Bio is my favourite, I do find Chem and Phys a lot harder.
Original post by Red one
Human Biology is a science, all those plants stuff they teach you in A-level is not what I regard as STEM.
There's barely any plants, on the OCR spec at least, in comparison to the actual biology. Just the boring water/sucrose transport at AS and plant hormones at A2.
There's a lot of common ground between pure bio and the human bio spec.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Hype en Ecosse
This is an extremely simplified version of the scientific method, and science is not defined by the creation of "laws". Much investigation in any scientific subject does not culminate in the creation of a law. If we use this kind of definition, the only sciences in the world are physics and chemistry (wherein, still, most investigation does not culminate in a law!).
This is an extremely simplified version of the scientific method, and science is not defined by the creation of "laws". Much investigation in any scientific subject does not culminate in the creation of a law. If we use this kind of definition, the only sciences in the world are physics and chemistry (wherein, still, most investigation does not culminate in a law!).
Yep, most scientific investigations cannot be culminated in a law, particularly in biology which is very much a continuous labyrinth. Biological investigations normally end with a conclusion and wider implications/future work.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by vnupe
Now you are putting increased limitations on the very laws you asked me to provide... in essence you are moving the goal posts...
Again, I have provided you evidence, and it is common and accepted knowledge that biology is a science, even by your protracted definition.
When you choose to believe is another matter entirely...
Also are you the ultimate arbitrator on all things scientific? If you do not know or subsequently accept does it make it less true?
In direct answer to your question of "are there any Biological Laws", I present this reference:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2816229/
Again, I have provided you evidence, and it is common and accepted knowledge that biology is a science, even by your protracted definition.
When you choose to believe is another matter entirely...
Also are you the ultimate arbitrator on all things scientific? If you do not know or subsequently accept does it make it less true?
In direct answer to your question of "are there any Biological Laws", I present this reference:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2816229/
It was common and accepted that the Earth was flat, that didn't mean it was right.
I am merely asking for reputable sources, and you have provided me one, although I cannot find any actual laws in here (maybe because I am tired) if you could quote one then that's great.
My definition is not protracted.
No I am not, I am just using evidence and logic to show it is not a science, whether you choose to believe or not is another matter
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