UNIT 3. SCIENCE
The concept of science
Science is a sphere of human activity which function is development and theoretical ordering of objective knowledge of the validity; one of forms of public consciousness. During historical development the development of science turns to productive force of a society and the major social institute. Concept “science” includes both activity on reception of new knowledge, and result of this activity – the sum of the scientific knowledge received to the given moment forming in aggregate a scientific picture of the world. The term “science” is used also for a designation of separate branches of scientific knowledge
The direct purposes of the Science – the description, an explanation and a prediction of processes and the phenomena of the validity making a subject of her studying on the basis of laws opened by her, in a broad sense – theoretical reflection of the validity.
Vocabulary
sphere сфера
development развитие
theoretical ordering теоретическое обоснование
validity действительность, законность
consciousness сознание
productive force производительная сила
concept термин
to include включать
reception получение
a sum сумма, количество
the scientific knowledge научные знания
to form in aggregate picture of the world формировать общую
научную картину мира
designation конструирование, формирование
separate branches отдельные отрасли (науки)
purpose цель
description описание
explanation объяснение
prediction предсказание
in a broad sense в широком смысле
reflection отражение
Structure of a science.
The scientific disciplines forming in the set system of a science as a whole, rather conditionally it is possible to subdivide into 3 big groups -natural, public and the engineering science differing in the subjects and methods. The sharp side between these subsystems is not present - a number of scientific disciplines borrow intermediate position. So, for example, on a joint technical and social studies there is an industrial art, between natural and engineering science - bionics, between natural and social studies - economic geography. Each of the specified subsystems, in turn, forms system in the various ways the coordinated, subject and methodical communications of separate sciences that does a problem of their detailed classification of the extremely complex and completely not decided about one today.
Alongside with the traditional researches spent within the framework of any one branch of a science, problem character of orientation of a modern science has caused wide expansion of the interdisciplinary and complex researches spent by means of several various scientific disciplines which concrete combination is defined by character of a corresponding problem by a life. An example of it is research of problems of the wildlife management, taking place on a crossroads of engineering science, biology, sciences about the Earth, medicine, economy, mathematics, etc. Such problems arising in connection with the decision of large-scale enterprises, and social problems, are typical for a modern science.
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Vocabulary
Discipline дисциплина
as a whole в целом
to subdivide подразделять
to differ различать
sharp точный
to borrow занимать
specified специальный
in turn в свою очередь
detailed подробный
alongside совместно
research исследование
enterprise предприятие
The basic stages of development of a science.
Sources of a science leave the roots in practice of early human societies in which the cognitive and industrial moments have been inseparably alloyed. Manufacture of ideas, representations, and consciousnesses is originally directly twisted in material activity and in material dialogue of people, in language of a real life. Initial knowledge had practical character, carrying out a role of methodical managements of concrete kinds of human activity. In the countries of the Ancient East (Babylonia, Egypt, India, China) such quantity of knowledge which have made the important precondition of the future science has been saved up significant. It is possible to count the remote precondition of a science and mythology in which attempt to construct complete, universal system of representations about the validity surrounding the person for the first time has been realized. By virtue of the religious character these representations, however, have very far defended from a science and, moreover, formation of a science demanded as a preliminary condition of criticism and destruction of mythological systems. The certain social conditions were necessary for occurrence of a science also: high enough level of development of manufacture and public attitudes, and also presence of the rich and wide cultural tradition admitting free perception of achievements of different cultures and peoples.
Especially high rates of development are characteristic for those directions of a science which, integrating achievements of its various branches, open essentially new prospects of the decision of large complex problems of the modernity (creation of new energy sources and materials, optimization of attitudes of the person with the nature, management of the big systems, space researches, etc.).