The functions of science are distinguished depending on the general purpose of its branches and their role in the development of the world with a constructive purpose. The functions of science are the outward manifestation of any of its essential properties. They can be used to judge her about the opportunities to participate in solving problems posed to society, and her ability to create more favorable conditions for people's lives and the development of culture.
The functions of science are distinguished by the main activities of researchers, their main tasks, as well as the scope of application of the knowledge gained. Thus, the basic functions of science can be defined as cognitive, worldview, production, social and cultural.
The cognitive function is fundamental, given the very essence of science, the purpose of which is to know nature, man and society as a whole, as well as to rationally and theoretically comprehend the world, explain processes and phenomena, discover patterns and laws, make predictions, etc. This function comes down to the production of new scientific knowledge.
The ideological function is largely intertwined with the cognitive. They are interconnected, since its goal is to develop a scientific picture of the world and the corresponding worldview. Also, this function implies the study of a rationalist attitude of a person to the world, the development of a scientific understanding of the world, which means that scientists (along with philosophers) must develop scientific worldview universals and the corresponding value orientations.
The production function , which can also be called the technical and technological function, is necessary for the introduction of innovations, new forms of organization of processes, technologies and scientific innovations in the manufacturing sectors. In this regard, science is turning into a productive force that works for the benefit of society, a kind of “workshop” in which new ideas and their implementation are developed and implemented. In this regard, scientists are sometimes sometimes referred to as production workers, which characterizes the production function of science as fully as possible.
Social function began to stand out especially significantly in recent years. This is due to the achievements of the scientific and technological revolution. In this regard, science is turning into a social force. This is manifested in situations where these sciences are used in the development of social and economic development programs. Since such plans and programs are complex, their development involves close interaction between various branches of the natural, social, and technical sciences.
The cultural functions of science (or educational) comes down to the fact that science is a kind of cultural phenomenon, an important factor in the development of people, their education and upbringing. Achievements of science significantly affect the educational process, the content of educational programs, technology, methods and form of training. This function is implemented through the educational system, the media, journalistic and educational activities of scientists.
The structure and functions of science are closely related. Objective existence includes three main areas: nature, man and society. In this regard, three main elements are distinguished in the structure of science. In the field of reality being studied, scientific knowledge is divided into natural science (nature sciences) and social science (human sciences and social sciences).
Natural science explores everything related to nature. It reflects the logic of nature. The structure of natural science teachings and knowledge is complex and diverse. It includes knowledge about matter, the interaction of substances, chemical elements, living matter, Earth, Space. From here the fundamental natural sciences develop.
Social studies studies social phenomena, systems, their structures, processes and conditions. These sciences provide knowledge about various social and human relationships. Scientific knowledge about society combines three areas: sociological, economic and state law.
A separate area is knowledge about a person and his consciousness.