A natural philosopher believed in observing nature to see if there were any patterns to nature they could call laws. They made guesses, they observed and then checked to see if their guesses matched what nature did. That's science. That's natural philosophy. They're almost interchangeable. Aristotle did not practice the scientific method. He believed in four causes. These four causes did not involve making a guess, observing nature and seeing if the guess was correct. They were wrong assertions. Therefore it's the wrong answer.
You left out a couple of steps. I'm thinking ill-formed or phrased question, that's why I asked earlier. "UNLADEN swallow". That's an important distinction. A laden swallow opens up too many variables...what is it laden with? How is is laden? That's no question for a 5th grader.
So, what is your answer to the teacher's question: The "Scientific Method" means the same to Democritus as it does today? Your job to the OP is to describe the similarities and differences to what we have today. See if you can answer that. Arguing with me about Aristotle isn't answering the question. You don't have to agree with my answer. But at least I give one: The Greek "language" did not have a Scientific Method as we know it today. Then I'd explain Aristotle's systematic approach/framework for a scientific method of inquiry, as mentioned in previous posts. Don't get me started on Aristotle. You provide a shallow description of his works on science. If you knew better, you wouldn't dismiss him like that just in an attempt to prove someone wrong on the Internet. Shame, Shame.
Nah you're making up the problem as a need to explain what the "scientific method" is in Latin and Greek. This is the OP's post. The "scientific method" in Latin is per Wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_philosophy Democritus was the first natural philosopher. Therefore he's the father of modern science. Science back then was called philosophia naturalis is Latin which answers one half of the OPs question. It also answers the other half which is the Greek language since the first "scientist / natural philosopher" was Democritus, a Greek philosopher. Not the answer the you provided which is wrong.
Londing'sBurning, So your answer to the question is "the Scientific Method" = "philosophia naturalis" Forget Democritus or Aristotle for the moment, are we talking about Science or the Scientific Method. Are you treating them the same?
Given the poorly worded nature of the question I'm going with philosophia naturalis as the answer. If the question is, "What is the Greek version of the scientific method?", I would say natural philosophers implemented modern day scientific method in that they would ... Step 1) Make a guess about a phenomena of nature. Step 2) Observe nature. Step 3) See if the guess matches what nature does. Step 4) If the guess does not match, accept that the guess is wrong. That is science. That is natural philosophy. That is not what Aristotle proposed though. Feel like I'm caught talking in a loop.
I think we're all looking too much into a 5th grade question... Haha, I mean assuming TX public school, nothing wrong with some of the curriculum but... TASS/TAX/STARR or whatever the hell it's called is really lacking and students won't actually learn **** till high school AP science or college. Anyway... the question is definitely poorly worded, and I'd cite that, could then probably use bits from heypartner and London, and then even throw in the correct steps for scientific method or something. I'd also have your kid ask the teacher "wth???" I mean was this actually a real thing or was the teacher quizzing the parents. -source me, BS neuro blah blah blah is also an acceptable answer
It is laden with a one pound coconut, presumably using a bit of tree bark as a line (to potentially share the load with another swallow). The real question is whether it is an African or European swallow.
Isn't this a simple etymological question to which the answer would be just "way of pursuing knowledge"? (Probably the teacher briefly mentioned something about the background of the phrase in the beginning of the lesson and is now checking if the students paid attention during class?)
The question is "what does Scientific Method mean." Not what does "Science mean." And your answer is fine. And I said that before to just list the scientific method in contrast to the current. But by the end of Greek time, a method was developed that came closer to modern day method that the one you list. I'm going with the final definition, which later scientists used and referenced, and also spread to Arab scientists/mathematicians who helped develop the method more. And that was the work of Aristotle. The main difference is he provided a systematic way to inject logic and reason into observable methods. And it's not like he wasn't a major player in the History of Natural Philosophy, already. In a nutshell, where you have 4 Steps, Aristotle would say that not all Guesses to be proved (Step 1) are necessarily valid. And, likewise, not all claims of the Guess being true (Step 3) are valid. It requires logic and reason to make sure the propositions are even related to the observable events. It's like challenging a science paper now by saying the experiment does not fit the hypothesis, so any conclusion is false. Maybe the reason you think you are going around in a loop is because you think I'm disagreeing with your four Scientific Method. I agree with your four steps. I just don't agree that that was all the Greeks gave us wrt Science. The proper use of syllogism, induction and deduction in the scientific method was shaped by Aristotle. I guess you don't think Aristotle played a role.
It was a BONUS question and he said it was not discussed in class (unless he just missed it). If he comes home with the answer today, I'll post it here, thanks for the help.
The scientific method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.[2] To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry is commonly based on empirical or measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning.[3] The Oxford Dictionaries Online define the scientific method as "a method or procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses".[4]
There have been many people of brilliant intelligence that have come and gone. The Ancient Greeks at least had a historical record of their existence. The same cannot be said of the Atlanteans...
sigh. He said I was wrong without saying why? Then goes on a tangent about the History of Science. I had to ask him what his answer was before really knowing what his was disagreeing with. Then he explained the answer is the meaning of Science to Greeks/Latin, not the Scientific Method. So it took until his last post to finally discuss the meaning of Scientific Method. There we agreed. Where's the argument other than him saying I'm wrong, and me saying that I don't think the question is about the meaning of Science. Sorry, he felt like he was in a loop. Was a pretty straightforward Socratic investigation of his position, from my viewpoint. :grin:
Here's why I feel like I'm talking in a loop. I'm having to repeat myself the same answer from where science originated. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=10688601&postcount=10 That was my very first post quoted with the same answer I gave 19 posts later here. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=10688873&postcount=29 The question by OP was what does "scientific method" mean in Latin/Greek? Your answer was Aristotle's philosophy who did not practice the scientific method. He believed in metaphysics which is not science. He believed in cause and effect which is not science. You can't originate the scientific method from Aristotle if he did not practice science. It's the wrong answer. However you can originate the scientific method from Democritus and other natural philosophers, because they were the earliest practitioners of the scientific method. They believed in observing nature to see if a consistent pattern emerged. That is the scientific method. You asked me how natural philosophers did it and I told you they practiced it very similarly to how we do it in modern day. That's why they're considered the originators of science. Science is the practice of the scientific method and you're being obtuse by saying I'm just giving you the history of science. That's true. I've also explained why they're considered the originators of science which science historians give them credit for. Not to Aristotle, who again was a brilliant thinker, but not a practitioner of the scientific method. So I've answered the OPs question, your belief that the question really is how did the Greek practice the scientific method which I've answered multiple times now and now we're arguing semantics. Do you not see why I feel I'm caught in a loop of argument because you're wrong on the internet? Don't worry. I'm wrong a lot of the time. It's not a big deal. However your wrong answer may cost a kid his extra credit and you want to "debate" with me on the internet over a 5th grade problem. Really? It would be funny as hell if I do end up being wrong from the teacher but I really doubt it since the origin of science is attributed to natural philosophers like Democritus and this information I'm sharing with you is from research conducted by Science historians. Not me just looking to take a swipe at you for providing a wrong answer on the internet. And me pointing out a wrong answer shouldn't be interpreted as a swipe at you either. It just means you provided the wrong answer and we could have moved on from this without this "debate."
