Department of SNV Miss: Khenfar Iqbal

Level: 3rd year Ecology Lecture n° 03

Science
READING PASSAGE

Science and fields of science Science (Latin scientia, from scire, “to know”), is the
term which is used, in its broadest meaning to denote systematized knowledge in any field,
but applied usually to the organization of objectively verifiable sense experience. The
pursuit of knowledge in this context is known as pure science, to distinguish it from applied
science, which is the search for practical uses of scientific knowledge, and from
technology, through which applications are realized.
Knowledge of nature originally was largely an undifferentiated observation and
interrelation of experiences. The Pythagorean scholars distinguished only four sciences:
arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy. By the time of Aristotle, however, other fields
could also be recognized: mechanics, optics, physics, meteorology, zoology, and botany.
Chemistry remained outside the mainstream of science until the time of Robert Boyle in
the 17th century, and geology achieved the status of a science only in the 18 th century. By
that time the study of heat, magnetism, and electricity had become part of physics. During
the 19th century scientists finally recognized that pure mathematics differs from the other
sciences in that it is a logic of relations and does not depend for its structure on the laws of
nature. Its applicability in the elaboration of scientific theories, however, has resulted in its
continued classification among the sciences.
The pure natural sciences are generally divided into two classes: the physical sciences
and the biological, or life, sciences. The principal branches among the former are physics,
astronomy, chemistry, and geology; the chief biological sciences are botany and zoology.
The physical sciences can be subdivided to identify such fields as mechanics, cosmology,
physical chemistry, and meteorology; physiology, embryology, anatomy, genetics, and
ecology are subdivisions of the biological sciences.
The applied sciences include such fields as aeronautics, electronics, engineering, and
metallurgy, which are applied physical sciences, and agronomy and medicine, which are
applied biological sciences. In this case also, overlapping branches must be recognized.
The cooperation, for example, between astrophysics (a branch of medical research based
on principles of physics) and bioengineering resulted in the development of the heart-lung
machine used in open-heart surgery and in the design of artificial organs such as heart
chambers and valves, kidneys, blood vessels, and inner-ear bones. Advances such as these
are generally the result of research by teams of specialists representing different sciences,
both pure and applied. This interrelationship between theory and practice is as important
to the growth of science today as it was at the time of Galileo. (From http://encarta.com)
 I. COMPREHENSION QUESTION
Exercise 1: Answer the following questions by referring to the reading passage.
1. What does the term ‘science’ denote in its broadest meaning?
2. What is applied science known as?
3. In what way does pure math differ from other sciences?
4. What sciences are pure natural sciences generally classified into?
5. Are sciences independent of one another?
Exercise 2: Complete each of the following statements with words/ phrases from the reading
passage
1. The pursuit of …………… in this context is known as pure science.
2. The Pythagorean scholars …………… only four sciences.
3. Chemistry remained ……………the mainstream of science.
4. …………… that time the study of heat, magnetism, and electricity had become part of physics.
5. During the 19th century scientists finally recognized that…………… mathematics differs from
the other sciences.
6. The pure natural …………… are generally divided into two classes.
7. The ……………branches among the former are physics, astronomy, chemistry.
8. The……………sciences can be subdivided to identify such fields as mechanics, cosmology.
9. Genetics, and ecology are subdivisions …………… the biological sciences.
Exercise 3: Decide whether each of the following statements is true (T), false (F) or with no
information to clarify (N).
1. ………….The term Science is generally used to denote systematized knowledge in any field.
2. ………….Pure science is different from applied one.
3. ………….The Pythagorean scholars were not as good as the later ones.
4. …………. It was not until the 17th century that chemistry was realized as a science.
5. ………….In the 18th century, physics dealt with the study of heat, magnetism, and electricity.
6. ………….Mathematics is different from other sciences because it is the most difficult one.
7. ………….Mathematics plays an important role in the development of scientific theories.
8. ………….Both physical and biological sciences can be further divided into other sciences.
9. ………….All classifications of the pure sciences are unchanged.
10. …………. Many sciences are closely related to one another.