What is science? Throughout our lives, we have come across this concept repeatedly. However, not everyone can give a clear answer to this question. Science is the defining value of modern culture, its most dynamic component. In the modern world it is impossible, discussing social, anthropological and cultural aspects, not to take into account the achievements of science.
Formulating the question “what is science?”, We believe that the main goal of human activity or the initial community is to directly obtain new, original scientific knowledge. It is necessary to consider this concept comprehensively: a) as a social institution, b) the accumulation of knowledge, as a process, c) as a result of research in a particular branch of knowledge.
Science as a social institution
Scientific institutions (academic, research, design and technological institutes, laboratories, libraries, reserves, museums ...) constitute the main potential of carriers of scientific knowledge. The vast majority of scientists are concentrated in professional educational institutions, especially in universities. Moreover, modern schools and various lyceums are increasingly inviting candidates and doctors of science, who are able to develop students' interest in innovation. Accordingly, students are also involved in the comprehension of search methods in research activities.
Science in this context can fully perform its functions only if there are qualified personnel. Scientific growth is carried out through the creation of scientific schools (as a rule, around a highly intellectual person, a major scientist or a new, promising idea), through the pursuit of the scientific degree of a candidate, doctor of science, through graduate school, through the training of highly qualified professionals in the magistracy.
Employees of higher educational institutions who have confirmed their scientific and pedagogical qualifications are awarded not only academic degrees, but also academic ranks - associate professor, professor.
Science as a process
When determining what science is, at this stage, it is necessary to pay attention to the various goals, methods and content of the activities of an individual researcher. They in science, as a rule, are strictly individual, unique in their basic parameters, differ among specialists, at first glance, in similar professions, such as, for example, psychologist-practitioner and psychologist-researcher. If a practitioner's main goal is to obtain high results in providing individual assistance, then the goal of a psychologist-researcher is to analyze the accumulated information about mental states, to obtain new knowledge.
Individual scientific activity has a number of features:
• Clear definition of the purpose of the work.
• Scientific activity is based on the experience of predecessors.
• Science requires the development of a certain terminological apparatus.
• The result of scientific activity must be compiled in strict accordance with established regulatory requirements.
Thus, answering the question “What is science?”, It can be argued: this is a specific process, the main purpose of which is the search for patterns, and the distinguishing feature is the confirmation of phenomena and processes using experimental tests or a new, original knowledge.
Science as a result
The answer to the question "What is science?" at this level, it is revealed with the help of reliable knowledge about a person, society, and nature. Accordingly, here science is represented by a set of interconnected knowledge on all issues known to mankind. A prerequisite here is the presence of completeness and consistency of information. Therefore, we can talk about obtaining extremely reliable knowledge at the modern level of achievements, which may be different from everyday and everyday knowledge of an individual.
Some properties of science at this level are highlighted:
1. The cumulative nature. The amount of knowledge doubles every ten years.
2. Differentiation. A huge amount of accumulated knowledge led to the need for fragmentation of sciences. For example, applied sciences begin to be divided into more specific areas, new industries or intersectoral cycles appear at the junction of different scientific areas (bio-physico-chemical aspects of the development of medical equipment).
In relation to practice, the following functions of science are distinguished:
• Descriptive (accumulation, collection of factual material). It is with her that the formation of any science begins, for example, the cycle of "economic sciences".
• Explanatory (identification of internal mechanisms, explanation of the features of various processes and phenomena).
• Generalizing (formulation of laws and laws).
• Predictive (prediction of previously unknown processes that have become apparent through scientific knowledge).
• Prescriptive (allows you to develop optimal options for recommendations and state standards).