09/02
Explain biology as the study of life
What is life?
Share properties in common
A result of billions of years of evolution
From a common ancestor Unique to living organism
Identify the different ways of thinking about the living world
Holism
an organized system is greater than the sum of its component parts. the whole system determines how its parts behave
Reductionism
a complex system means nothing but the sum of its parts an account of it can be reduced to accounts of individual constituents

Properties of biological systems, and define emergent properties in biological systems.
Properties of life
Organized
Acquire materials and energy
Respond
Reproduce and develop adapt Emergent properties: new properties become apparent that were absent at the lower levels.
Result from the interaction of diverse but simpler components

Identify 3 human-specific factors that influence biological systems and the global integration system
Culture
Economics
Politics
Environmental science helps to understand how and why society responds to environmental problems.
Develop solutions that are socially, economically, and politically acceptable

Define environmental science
“The study of our environment and our place in it”
The integration of biology, social science, geology, chemistry

Human dimension of environmental science
The great global challenllenges have less to do with managing resources than with managing people and our demands on resources. – Aldo Leopold

09/04
Define science.
Testing ideas with evidence is at the heart of the process of science.
Scientific testing involves figuring out what we would expect to observe if an idea were correct and comparing that expectation to what we actually observe

Compare linear “scientific method” with the more complex “scientific process”.
Figures on the slides and the book
Linear “scientific method is too simple
Scientific process is not predetermined
That should have the following characterisitics
Focuses on the natural world
Aims to explain the natural world
Uses testable ideas
Relies on evidence
Involves the scientific community
Leads to ongoing research
Benefits from scientific behavior

Define inductive and deductive reasoning, and be able to identify each from an example.
Inductive reasoning: The theory explains the data collected and observation
Deductive reasoning: a top-down process
Hypothesis
Implications
Experiments
Result
Theory is rejected, go back to step 1
Theory is supported

Distinguish between science from non-science.
Apply the check list
Four things that science does NOT do.
Science does not make moral judgments
Science does not make esthetic judgments
Science does not tell you how to use scientific knowledge
Science does not dram conclusion from supernatural explanation

Discriminate between true and false conceptions about science.
Identify the claim being made (using the checklist) determine the scientific merit of the claim

Explain why science is important to us.
Because without science: no electricity no modern medicine no plastics or other materials no modern agriculture

09/09
What types of thinking are required for a scientific approach to knowing?
Critical thinking

What is the definition of critical thinking?
It is about identifying unspoken assumptions, beliefs, priorities, or motives.
To examine information in a systematic, purposeful, and responsible manner.

Identify the characteristics of a critical thinker?
Seek to valuate the validity of information in a purposeful way by seeking possible biases, beliefs, or motives. must be open-minded to consider any claims based on tangible evidence. must also be aware of their own biases, and check those at the door.

What is open-mindedness, and why is this important to critical thinking?
Being open-minded means:
Creative
accepting the possibilities about something
It’s a part of critical thinking.

How does one use critical thinking to evaluate information?
Claims with evidence

Why is critical thinking