Scientific activity is a specific activity of people, the main purpose of which is to obtain new knowledge about reality. Knowledge is its main product. However, he is not the only one. Other scientific products include the scientific style of rationality, which extends to various spheres of human activity, and a variety of devices, techniques, and installations that are used outside of science (mainly in production). In addition, scientific activity is a source of moral values.
Science and truth
Despite the fact that the orientation of science is to obtain true knowledge about reality, it should not be equated with truth. The fact is that true knowledge is not necessarily scientific. It can be obtained in various fields of activity: in engineering, art, politics, economics, everyday life. However, in these cases, obtaining it is not the main goal of these areas of activity. For example, in art, the main goal is new artistic values, in the economic sphere - efficiency, in engineering - inventions, technologies.
It must be emphasized that the concept of "unscientific" does not always have a negative assessment. Science has its own specifics, as well as other areas - everyday life, politics, economics, art. All of them have their own goals, their mission. The role that scientific activity takes in the life of society is growing. However, the scientific justification is appropriate and perhaps not always and not everywhere.
History shows that the knowledge gained with its help is not always true. The very concept of “scientific” is often used in situations that do not guarantee the truth of acquired knowledge. This is especially true when we are dealing with theories. In science, many of them have been disproved. Some thinkers (in particular, Karl Popper), argue that in the future, this fate can befall any theoretical statement.
Relationship of Science with Parascience Concepts
Another feature that scientific activity has is that it does not recognize any parascientific concepts - ufology, parapsychology, astrology, etc. They are rejected by it because, as T. Huxley noted, taking anything on faith She "commits suicide." In concepts built using these branches of knowledge, there are no well-established, reliable facts. Only random matches are possible.
Science as a profession
An important feature of modern science is that it is a profession. More recently, it was a free activity of scientists. Science was not considered a profession; it was not specifically funded in any way. Scientists, as a rule, provided themselves with livelihoods through university teaching. The organization of scientific activity, therefore, was very poor. Currently, the situation has changed for the better. Today's scientist is already a separate profession. In the 20th century, such a concept as a “research assistant” arose. In the world now there are about 5 million people engaged in research professionally. Of course, this entails the rapid development of scientific activity, which leads to new discoveries and achievements.
The struggle of opinions in science
The development of scientific knowledge is characterized by a confrontation of different directions. In a tense struggle, new theories and ideas are being affirmed. On this occasion, M. Planck noted that new scientific truths usually win not because their opponents are convinced that they are wrong, but because opponents are gradually dying out, and the new generation is immediately assimilating the truth. Research activity is a constant struggle of directions and opinions.
Criteria of scientific knowledge: systematization
It is necessary to highlight the criteria of scientific knowledge, to note its characteristic features. First of all, this is systematization. This is one of the main criteria of science. However, not only in this area can the knowledge gained be systematized. There are many examples: a telephone directory, a cookbook, a road atlas, etc. Nevertheless, scientific systematization has its own specifics. As a system, such knowledge is a definite structure, the constituent parts of which are pictures of the world, theories, laws, facts. In science, individual disciplines are interdependent and interconnected.
Evidence
Another important criterion that research activity has is the desire for evidence, the validity of knowledge. Bringing it into the system has always been characteristic of science. Its very appearance is sometimes associated precisely with this desire for evidence. Various verification methods are applied. To confirm the truth of empirical knowledge, for example, they use multiple checks, resort to statistical data, etc. If it is necessary to justify a particular theoretical concept, they pay attention to consistency, the ability to predict and describe phenomena, and compliance with empirical data.
Original ideas in science
In science, original ideas are of great value. However, its focus on innovations is also combined with the tendency to remove from the results everything subjective that is associated with the specificity of the researcher himself. This is one of its differences from art. In order for the creation of the artist to exist, it must be created. However, if some scientist has not created a theory, in the future it will certainly be created, as it is a necessary stage in the development of scientific activity, which can be called intersubjective.
Means and methods of scientific knowledge
In scientific activity, means of reasoning are used, which people use in various types of activity, including in everyday life. The methods of reasoning used in science are characteristic of any other sphere. These are deduction and induction, synthesis and analysis, generalization and abstraction, idealization, description, analogy, prediction, explanation, confirmation, hypothesis, refutation, etc.
Experiment and observation
Experiment and observation are the main methods of acquiring empirical knowledge in science. Briefly describe what their specificity consists of. Observation is a method in which the main thing is not to make changes in the reality being studied by the observation process itself. In the framework of the experiment, the phenomenon that should be studied is put in certain conditions. F. Bacon noted that the nature of things reveals itself best by being "artificially constrained" than existing in "natural freedom."
Empirical and theoretical knowledge
It is important to note that an empirical study cannot begin without a specific theoretical setup . Although it is known that facts are the main thing for a scientist, it is impossible to comprehend reality without theoretical constructions. On this occasion, I.P. Pavlov noted that a general idea of the subject being studied is necessary so that facts can be grasped on it.
Scientific theories are not a simple generalization of empirical data. A. Einstein wrote that in a logical way it is impossible to come to the basic principles of the theory. They arise in the interaction of empiricism and theoretical thinking, in the process of solving theoretical problems, in the interaction of science and culture.
Scientists in the process of constructing a particular concept apply a variety of methods of theoretical understanding. For example, the scientific work of Galileo Galilei was noted for its widespread use for constructing concepts of thought experiments. The theorist applying them, as it were, loses the various behaviors of idealized objects developed by him. A mathematical experiment is a modern kind of mental. When using it on computers, the possible consequences of certain conditions are calculated.
Appeal to philosophy
Characterizing the scientific activity as a whole, it is also important to note that in its course, scientists often turn to philosophy. Both Russian science and world science often rely on it. Especially for theorists, it is important to comprehend cognitive traditions from the point of view of philosophy, to examine the reality being studied in the context of a particular picture of the world. This is very true in the critical stages that science periodically undergoes in its development. Great achievements in it have always been associated with philosophical generalizations. Turning to philosophy contributes to the effective explanation, description and understanding of reality studied by science. The results of scientific activity are thus correlated with its achievements.
The style of scientific thinking
There is such a thing as a "style of scientific thinking." It reflects the important features of the field of knowledge that interests us. M. Bourne noted that there are certain tendencies of thought that change very slowly and form philosophical periods with ideas inherent in all areas of human activity, including science.
Language of science
Speaking about the means that are used in scientific knowledge, it should be noted that the language of science is the most important of them. Galileo said that the book of nature was written in the language of mathematics. The development of physics has confirmed these his words. The process of mathematization in other sciences is very active. In all of them, mathematics is an integral part of theoretical constructions.
The development of cognitive means
In science, the course of knowledge largely depends on the development of technical means. The scientific activity of Galileo Galilei, for example, was carried out using a telescope. Then telescopes and radio telescopes were created, which determined to a large extent the development of astronomy. The use of microscopes, especially electronic ones, significantly influenced progress in biology. Without such important means of cognition as synchrophasotrons, one cannot imagine the development of elementary particle physics. Modern world and Russian science are currently undergoing a revolution due to the emergence of a computer.
The interpenetration of means and methods of science
Note that the tools and methods that are used in various sciences are different. This is determined by the specifics of the subject of study, as well as the level of development of science itself. In general, there is a continuous interpenetration of means and methods. The apparatus of mathematics is increasingly used. Its incredible effectiveness, as noted by Wiener, makes this science an important means of cognition in everyone else. However, it is unlikely that in the future the means and methods of various scientific branches will be fully universalized.
The specifics of philosophy
Speaking about the specifics of sciences, it should be noted the special position of philosophical knowledge. Philosophy as a whole is not a science. In the classical tradition, it was interpreted as a science of a special kind, but modern thinkers often develop constructions in it that are sharply demarcated from it. For example, this applies to neopositivists, existentialists. Within the framework of philosophy, research has always existed and will continue to exist, which can have the status of a scientific one.
Scientific and methodological activity
This is the main type of educational activity - a set of activities that are carried out in order to master the technologies, techniques and methods of educational work. It aims to search for new methods and forms of organization, support and conduct of the educational process.
Scientific and technical activity
This is a technical activity that is at the junction of engineering and science. It belongs to the field of technical scientific disciplines. Her research is of an applied nature. This concept in a broader sense covers implementation, engineering and scientific activities.