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.