BOLO Biology Newsletter Archive: August 2013

Daily Newsletter

August 27,2013

Scientific Thought in Biology

The goal today is to start to look at the questions: what is science? how do we do science?

Science is more than a collection of facts. Facts are important. We are constantly uncovering new facts. But it is the analysis and incorporation of these facts into historic body of knowledge that makes up the foundation of science. Science is dynamic, and we are ever increasing our knowledge base.

Let's look at a slightly different question: What is the goal of science?

Take a moment and think about it.
Why do thing try to "figure" things out?
Why do they "do" experiments?

One of my favorite phrases in answer to this question is that science provids us the power to predict and control natural phenomena. Such as predicting storms, identifying diseases, better crop management, and disease treatment to list just a few ways we predict and control natural phenomena.

If you start looking into the Philosophy of Science you will find a number of different definitions, but for us, the above definition starts the discussion.

So how do we go about science? Do we just propose an idea on how it works and leave it? No! We always want to TEST our ideas, and see if they provide a workable model. Our scientific method is based on the Hypetheticodeductive Model of Reasoning. Instead of naming the "steps" of the scientific method, I want you to instead break it down and really think about what it means.

First off, look at the word Hypetheticodeductive. It is constructed of two words: Hypothesis and Deductive. These are the two critical features, but what do they mean. So, what is a hypothesis, and what does it mean to be deductive?

Critical Concepts

Hypothesis - A proposed explanation of a phenomena.
You may remember this definition from other science classes. It is a good place to start, but for a strong hypothesis, there are characteristics you must take into account. The following characteristic are not all inclusive, but they are important ones to begin considering.

A hypothesis must be testable, and conceivably falsifiable.

You must be able to conceive of a way to legitimately test the hypothesis.
There must be conditions in which the test could reveal a negative/false result.
If there is no possible way to generate a negative result, then you do not have a scientific hypothesis (we did not find any evidence of ghosts, but that does not mean you don't have ghosts).

Succinctness - A hypothesis should have few underlying assumptions. The more assumptions, the weaker the hypothesis (also called parsimony).

Discussion

Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis is a figure rarely discussed in general biology, but his work as one of the founders of Infection Control is important. His work also stands as an incredible example of the hypethetico-deductive model at work:
Read the following websites/articles. It is suggested that you read them in order.

In the discussion forum for today, describe how Dr. Semmelweis' work with puerperal fever demonstrate the scientific method at work. Look at the hypotheses he generated, and consider whether these were strong or weak? Does the data shown in the fourth link provide support to Dr. Semmelweis' final solution? Did Dr. Semmelweis have the correct cause, or were there other discovers that ultimately explain what was happening in the First Ward? Discuss the concept of an Agent of Change; how did Dr. Semmelweis fail as an agent of change, and consider how you would stand as an agent of change.
NOTE: Don't answer these as individual questions. Consider and build a response.

Daily Newsletter

August 25, 2013

Welcome to Principles of Biology I

Principles of Biology I is a survey class intended for individuals majoring in Biology or working toward completion of Pre-Medical, Pre-Dental, Pre-Pharmacy, or Pre-Veterinary requirements.

As a survey class, there is a broad scope of biology that will be discussed during the semester. The goal of the student is to gain a strong foundation in the topics covered. These foundations will serve students as they enter 3000 and 4000 level courses, which uses the core information from this class to explore the depths of cellular and molecular biology.

Cell and Molecular biology are the two primary topics that are discussed during Principles of Biology I. We will also discuss evolution and ecology as we move through the semester.

The first week of the semester is an introduction to the biological sciences. The student learning goals are as follows:

Be able to discuss the concept of life and the characteristics used to describe life in general.
Be able to discuss the general concept of evolution as a characteristic of living systems.
Be able to discuss the Hypethetico-Deductive model of reasoning, of which the Scientific Method is one example.
Be able to identify and discuss significant events and individuals in the history of biology.
Be able to use key terms (see below) correctly and in context.
Be able to identify and explain common misconceptions of the above topics.

Reading: Chapter 1 of How Life Works.
Additional Readings found on the course site.

Key Terms

Biology uses a large number of terms, and in many ways, you are learning a foreign language as you learn biology. You are probably familiar with vocabulary lists, and teachers asking you to memorize terms and appropriate definitions. Most of you are probably very good a memorizing terms, but are you as good at using the terms? One of your goals this semester is to not only memorize important terms, but to also start using them. To help you, we're going to play games...
This week, there is a crossword puzzle. I've supplied the definitions, now you just need to figure out the word. The words come from the textbook and from newsletters throughout the week (as well as lecture).

For those who have not enrolled in the BOLO Principles of Biology I class, here is a shot of the crossword puzzle.