Knowledge & Values 3 - Value Free or Value Laden?

Use the words ‘objective’ and ‘subjective’ in your answer.

This is the definition of science according to the British Science Council.

"...Science is the pursuit of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence."

Whose definition do you prefer?

What do we commonly call this ‘systematic’ methodology?

Article about this definition here.

The British Science Council spent one year and over £1,000,000 coming up with this definition....

What does the spending indicate about the value of definitions? Why might it be important to define science (or anything) accurately?

Here's an article to support your thinking on this...

• “real-world problems”

• “extrapolate beyond the available data”

• “language employed by scientists is often laden with values”

• “Recognizing values helps science’s integrity”

• “promote as much transparency in science as possible”

• “science is done by and for human beings.”