What is an assumption in science

The process of building scientific knowledge relies on a few basic assumptions that are worth acknowledging. Science operates on the assumptions that:   there are natural causes for things that happen in the world around us. For example, if a ball falls to the ground, science assumes that there must be a natural explanation for why the ball moves downward once released. Right now, scientists can describe gravity in great detail, but exactly what gravity is remains elusive. Still, science assumes that there is an explanation for gravity that relies on natural causes, just as there is for everything in nature. Science assumes that we can learn about gravity and why a ball falls by studying evidence from the natural world. For example, science assumes that the gravitational forces at work on a falling ball are related to those at work on other falling objects. Hence, what we learn about gravity today by studying falling balls can also be used to understand, for example, modern satellite orbits, the formation of the moon in the distant past, and the movements of the planets and stars in the future, because the same natural cause is at work regardless of when and where things happen. In fact, they form much of the basis for how we interact with the world and each other e operates on the assumptions that natural causes explain natural phenomena, that evidence from the natural world can inform us about those causes, and that these causes are page introduces the foundational assumptions of science. To review the less sweeping and more practical assumptions that go into scientific testing, visit making | about | copyright | credits and collaborations | contact | subscribe | t is thinking, thinking is al thinking in every domain of knowledge and intellectual standards to assess student le intellectual sal intellectual ng with analysis & assessment of ry of critical thinking guishing between inert information, activated ignorance, activated al thinking: identifying the guishing between inferences and al thinking development: a stage ng a critic of your nd russell on critical ate this page from english... In this article we focus on two of the elements of reasoning: inferences and assumptions. Beliefs, and hence assumptions, can be unjustified or justified, depending upon whether we do or do not have good reasons for them. My inference was based on the assumption (my prior belief) that only the cat makes that noise, and that he makes it only when he wants to be let in. We humans naturally and regularly use our beliefs as assumptions and make inferences based on those assumptions. We must do so to make sense of where we are, what we are about, and what is happening.

What is assumption in thesis

We read a book, and interpret what the various sentences and paragraphs — indeed what the whole book — is saying. We listen to what people say and make a series of inferences as to what they mean. As we write, we make inferences as to what readers will make of what we are writing. We make inferences as to the clarity of what we are saying, what requires further explanation, what has to be exemplified or illustrated, and what does not. As always, an important part of critical thinking is the art of bringing what is subconscious in our thought to the level of conscious realization. Eventually we need to realize that the inferences we make are heavily influenced by our point of view and the assumptions we have made about people and situations. These inferences are based on different assumptions about the conditions under which people end up in gutters. The first person may have developed the point of view that people are fundamentally responsible for what happens to them and ought to be able to care for themselves. The reasoning of these two people, in terms of their inferences and assumptions, could be characterized in the following way: person one person two situation: a man is lying in the gutter. Critical thinkers notice the inferences they are making, the assumptions upon which they are basing those inferences, and the point of view about the world they are developing. To develop these skills, students need practice in noticing their inferences and then figuring the assumptions that lead to them. As students become aware of the inferences they make and the assumptions that underlie those inferences, they begin to gain command over their thinking. Because all human thinking is inferential in nature, command of thinking depends on command of the inferences embedded in it and thus of the assumptions that underlie it. We can do none of these things without interpreting our actions, giving them meanings, making inferences about what is happening. Every time we interpret our actions, every time we give them a meaning, we are making one or more inferences on the basis of one or more assumptions.

As humans, we continually make assumptions about ourselves, our jobs, our mates, our students, our children, the world in general. The question then becomes: “how can students begin to recognize the inferences they are making, the assumptions on which they are basing those inferences, and the point of view, the perspective on the world that they are forming? For one thing, all disciplined subject-matter thinking requires that students learn to make accurate assumptions about the content they are studying and become practiced in making justifiable inferences within that content. In each case, the assumptions students make depend on their understanding of fundamental concepts and principles. Once they have identified these inferences, we can ask them to figure out the assumptions that led to those inferences. When we give them routine practice in identifying inferences and assumptions, they begin to see that inferences will be illogical when the assumptions that lead to them are not justifiable. We can also help students think about the inferences they make in daily situations, and the assumptions that lead to those inferences. As they become skilled in identifying their inferences and assumptions, they are in a better position to question the extent to which any of their assumptions is justified. The point is that we all make many assumptions as we go about our daily life and we ought to be able to recognize and question them. Back to guishing between inferences and assumptions sublinks:Content is thinking, thinking is al thinking in every domain of knowledge and intellectual standards to assess student le intellectual sal intellectual ng with analysis & assessment of ry of critical thinking guishing between inert information, activated ignorance, activated al thinking: identifying the guishing between inferences and al thinking development: a stage ng a critic of your nd russell on critical viewing articles in our online library, please contribute to our work. Like all significant organizations, we require funding to continue our the way, we give gifts for science workspage 13 of 21previous |  as we might like to avoid it, all scientific tests involve making assumptions — many of them justified. This test is straightforward, but still relies on many assumptions: we assume that the bacteria can grow on the growth medium, we assume that substance b does not affect bacterial growth, we assume that one day is long enough for colonies to grow, and we assume that the color pen we use to mark the outside of the dishes is not influencing bacterial growth. Technically, these are all assumptions, but they are perfectly reasonable ones that can be tested. The scientist performing the experiment described above would justify many of her assumptions by performing additional tests in parallel with the experimental ones. And some assumptions might remain untested simply because all of our knowledge about the field suggests that the assumption is a safe one (e.

All tests involve assumptions, but most of these are assumptions that can and have been verified separately. Nevertheless, when evaluating an idea in light of test results, it's important to keep in mind the test's assumptions and how well-supported they are. If an expectation generated by an idea is not borne out in a test, it might be because the idea is wrong and should be rejected, or it might be that the idea is right, but an assumption of the test has been violated. And if the test results end up lending support to the idea, it might be because the idea is correct and should be accepted, or it might be because a violated assumption has produced a false positive scientific tests involve making assumptions can be independently tested, increasing our confidence in our test complex hypotheses — for example, regarding the earth's atmosphere — sometimes rely on many sub-hypotheses, or assumptions. To see an example of how changes in these assumptions can affect the over-arching hypothesis, check out the story ozone depletion: uncovering the hidden hazard of the assumptions that are part of a particular test are also, in a sense, hypotheses — ideas about how something works that could be correct or incorrect. How does science investigate any single hypothesis if they always get bundled together in our tests? To find out, visit bundle up your of science is based on a few fundamental assumptions that transcend any individual experiment or study. To learn what these are, visit basic assumptions of ing ideas: other is within the scientific | about | copyright | credits and collaborations | contact | subscribe | , music, & ication sciences & ity service nmental ic ational american al and early modern tional and physical zational g with children and adolescents in community g and mass lifecampus ministrycampus ministry recreationbuilding recreation to swim of ard and wsi certification t golf cultural centercontact ational ultural safetyannual security reports and handbook for annual security ncy notification safety ntial lifefrequently asked ntial life ntial life t activitiesclubs & t activities t government t publications/t affairsguiding t affairs t servicesacademic support technologyassistance for ance for faculty & er & network use er & software ntly asked development & internship ling servicesalcohol & drug ling services ntly asked t accessibility safetyannual security ncy notification eadership & gs & ter, informationwelcome a degree in computer science can prepare you for a wide variety of career paths. Assumption offers you opportunities to study math or computer science in a stimulating and supportive environment. You’ll think logically and solve problems, as well as communicate clearly and effectively – skills that are in high demand in today’s increasingly technological you are considering a degree in computer science, assumption’s engaging professors and challenging curriculum provides students will a number of opportunities to explore this rapidly evolving field. Computer science majors develop their programming skills, their knowledge of computer hardware and software, and an appreciation of the social and ethical implications of technology. The major provides a foundation for a variety of professional careers in the computer industry and for graduate study in computer ts and features of a bachelor’s in computer science at tion was ranked a "top 20 small college for computer science. Training in the mathematical and scientific skills that form strong foundations; essential skills regardless of your career the flexibility to choose among required classes to explore your individual interests and e a dual major in computer science and education. When you study computer science at assumption you develop a solid foundation in computer programming and further your knowledge of computer hardware and software. You also gain an appreciation for the social and ethical implications of the classrooms and labs at assumption, computer science students calculate, compute and collaborate with others who are just as passionate about technology and programming as you in computer major consists of a total of 15 required courses, which comprise seven specifically required courses in computer science, five electives in computer science, and three courses in in computer minor consists of eight courses, which includes courses in programming, data structures, calculus i and in information minor consists of six courses, which comprise two required courses, and four electives.

In mathematics or computer science may choose to take advantage of assumption’s engineering partnership with the university of notre dame, one of the nation’s leading engineering in computer major consists of a total of fifteen (15) required courses, which comprise seven specifically required courses in computer science, five electives in computer science, and three courses in mathematics:Required courses (15). Minimum of five additional courses chosen from computer science courses numbered above 260 or mat 356 numerical analysis or phy 213 introduction to engineering. Students should consult with an advisor in the department to plan their in computer science. Minor in computer science consists of eight courses, which must include:Csc 117 introduction to 250 intermediate 305 data 117-118 calculus i and ii or mat 131-132 elementary calculus i and 202 discrete courses from the computer science courses numbered above in information ts working towards the it minor in information technology can choose 1 of 3 tracks, each of which complements a different major:Applied track: for students majoring in track: for students majoring in marketing or organizational ical track: for students majoring in management or international ed courses for all information technology minors (2). 113 introduction to computer 211 accounting information systems or mgt 302/mkt 302 management information ves for the applied track: select 117 introduction to 119e presentation graphics and 170 desktop 175 databases and 250 intermediate 301 systems analysis and 335 computer and network 113 introduction to computer 211 accounting information systems or mgt 302/mkt 302 management information ves for the online track: select 117 introduction to 170 desktop 175 databases and 180 electronic communications and 220 multimedia for the 250 intermediate 301 systems analysis and 335 computer and network 113 introduction to computer 211 accounting information systems or mgt 302/mkt 302 management information ves for the analytical track: select 117 introduction to 175 databases and 250 intermediate 301 systems analysis and 327 operations 335 computer and network y in addition to their excellent teaching credentials, the mathematics, computer science and actuarial science faculty have extensive experience in their fields. Basic skills learned can be adapted for use in courses involving business, accounting, statistics, science, math, and other areas. Each semester the department will offer sections of csc113 with a specific emphasis: business applications, ethical implications, computer programming, and general computer science. Fall, spring) staff/three 117 introduction to course is an introduction to the field of computer science and structured programming in c11. Fall) brown/three purpose of the course is to give a deeper understanding of what the internet is, how it works, and how the uses of it are changing. Students will cover the history, why the technology works, the ethics in using an open system, advanced settings, what is involved in designing, creating, and maintaining a web site, and be able to discuss the problems and possible future of this topic. Fall 2014) katcher/three 250 intermediate course extends the computer science and programming concepts introduced in csc 117. Spring 2015) katcher/three 325 artificial course is an open-ended discussion of what artificial intelligence (ai) is and how it might be achieved. The experiences that i had at assumption, both in and out of the classroom, were an integral part of my preparation for the internship at loftware inc. My studies at assumption provided me with the skills to overcome any challenges that i faced, and i even used completed project work from assumption to give myself an edge during the interview process. Schools and tion mathematics and computer science students either go on to graduate studies in mathematics or computer science or enter directly into careers in such fields as business, communications, education, finance, health care and information technology.

Here’s a sampling of where assumption alumni are adding to our world:Employers hiring assumpton computer science graduates:George washington francisco, tes schools that have accepted assumption computer science carolina state laer polytechnic conversion movie requires flash player 8. By keywordsearch by bible ’t assume too much: not all assumptions in science are might be tempting to get the wrong impression and think that making assumptions in science is a bad practice, especially upon reading various writings from the creationist community. Creation scientists, for instance, correctly relate many of the problems inherent in the assumptions of evolutionary geologic dating techniques that tend to yield extremely old ages for the items they test. As is the case with the fact that scientific theories can be good things (see miller, 2012b), the practice of making assumptions in science also can be a good thing. However, the equations get significantly more complex if i do not make certain assumptions about the motion of the vehicle. So, i decide to make the assumption that the car will have 100% traction as it travels down this strip of road. In other words, i assume that it will never slide from side to side or skid—an assumption which could save me a lot of extra time and money. The assumption that i will have 100% traction, and can eliminate those variables pertaining to traction from my equations, is a reasonable one—one that will not cause significant error in my equations. There may be a few small rocks on the road, or a heavy gust of wind that might cause a very small amount of error due to my assumption, but by the end of the one mile strip of road, i can maintain, with a very high degree of confidence, that the car will likely still be on the road and very close to the location that i if i were to take this same remote control vehicle, with the same assumptions in place, and use it in an off-road setting—out in the middle of nowhere, with no road, and on extremely rough terrain? Would the assumption that there will be 100% traction be a reasonable assumption in that setting—one that would not cause a significant amount of error in my equations? Often have to be made in science, but those assumptions have to be made very carefully or the end results can be significantly affected. Invalid assumptions can cause the scientist to draw conclusions that are not in keeping with the actual evidence. The key for the scientist is to make assumptions that are reasonable and that do not significantly alter the end results. The problem is that much of the alleged evidence for evolution has been gathered under unsubstantiated, unreasonable, and even false assumptions that contradict the actual onable assumption 1: er, for instance, the assumption of abiogenesis. In earth science from harvard, is a research scientist at the carnegie institution of washington’s geophysical laboratory and a professor of earth science at george mason university.

In his lecture series, origins of life, hazen said:In this lecture series i make a basic assumption that life emerged by some kind of natural process. The assumption of abiogenesis, upon which evolution stands, is unreasonable and should cause the scientist to scrap the idea in favor of one that does not require such an outlandish onable assumption 2: about uniformitarianism? The idea of “catastrophism,” to which creationists subscribe, allows for such phenomena, and is a much more reasonable assumption upon which to interpret geologic er, as one example of the effect of catastrophic events on geologic phenomena, recent scientific discoveries concerning rapid petrification. However, in 2004, five japanese scientists published research in the journal sedimentary geology which casts doubt on that assumption. This single discovery completely contradicts the assumption of uniformitarianism, and yet many more could be cited. Catastrophism, on the other hand, is much more reasonable, since it allows for catastrophic events such as volcanoes, meteors, and onable assumptions 3, 4, & 5: basis of dating second law of thermodynamics tells us that the universe is running down or wearing out. However, a major issue arises based on what evolutionary geologists do with the information that they gather from this process. It is reasonable to conclude that the primary reason for this discrepancy is the effect of unrealistic assumptions that initiate the process of age extrapolation (cf. Ironically, the evolutionary geologists, themselves, acknowledge that “violations” of the assumptions “are not uncommon” (mcdougall and harrison, p. Major assumption upon which radiometric dating techniques are based is that, while a specimen might currently have various daughter elements in it, it is assumed that no daughter element existed in the specimen at the beginning of its decay. But how could one possibly substantiate an assumption about the initial conditions of a specimen’s decay process, especially when the commencement of its decay was hundreds or thousands (or according to evolutionists, millions or billions) of years ago? Second assumption upon which radiometric dating techniques are based is that the amounts of parent and daughter isotopes in a specimen have not been altered during the decay process by anything except radioactive decay. According to ian mcdougall, professor of geology in the research school of earth sciences at the australian national university, and t. Mark harrison, professor of geology in the department of earth and space sciences at the university of california, los angeles, “departures from this assumption in fact are quite common, particularly in areas of complex geological history” (1999, p. To suggest a closed system for a specimen that is believed to be very old is a reckless, unreasonable assumption, (1) when there is clear evidence that a closed system cannot be guaranteed, and (2) when, in fact, there is compelling evidence that ancient earth was rocked by a global catastrophe that most certainly would have violated the “closed system” assumption (cf.

Third assumption of such dating techniques is that, in keeping with uniformitarian principles, the nuclear decay rate of the elements being measured have remained constant throughout history. While the other assumptions can be seen on the surface to be unsustainable, the problem with this assumption might not seem as evident at first glance. Billion years’ worth of radioactive decay, based on the uniformitarian constant decay rate assumption, occurred in only a few thousand years. Have no qualms openly acknowledging the assumptions inherent in evolutionary dating techniques, since without these assumptions in place, there would be no way to date the earth or anything on it using science. The standard practice of geologists today, in light of this, is to “do what you can with what you have. However, if the dating assumptions are too unrealistic to allow for an accurate date of anything, shouldn’t the dating methods be deemed untrustworthy or even abandoned, if that is where the evidence leads? However, as the next assumption shows, that reasonable option has been eliminated from the table as well, due to evolutionary onable assumption 6: ing to the national academy of sciences, “the statements of science must invoke only natural things and processes. The statements of science are those that emerge from the application of human intelligence to data obtained from observation and experiment” (teaching about evolution…, 1998, p. Therefore, god is deemed unscientific by this definition (even though he actually instituted the field of science, cf. Richard lewontin, evolutionary geneticist of harvard university, unabashedly said:Our willingness to accept scientific claims against common sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to naturalism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Regardless of the evidence, the bulk of today’s scientific community has agreed to wipe god and supernatural phenomena out of the definition of “science,” not because of the evidence for or against god, but because of the assumption of naturalism. If an assumption does not significantly alter the end results, it may be a fair, legitimate assumption. However, the assumption of naturalism significantly alters one’s results—yielding completely different answers to important questions compared to the answers that would be given using an approach without that assumption in place.

Further, the assumption of naturalism proves to be unreasonable, first, because it is not in keeping with the evidence, and, second, because it is ing to science—the first and second laws of thermodynamics—in nature, nothing comes from nothing and nothing lasts forever (cf. So would it not be reasonable to re-define “science” in such a way that no option is eliminated from consideration based on the faulty assumption of naturalism? Just because one cannot empirically observe something happening, does not mean that one cannot use science to determine who did what, how they did it, when they did it, where they did it, and with what they did it. Indirect evidence is a legitimate source of scientific information, and the universe is saturated with indirect evidence for the existence of an approach to science, naturalism contradicts the scientific evidence, and what’s more, it contradicts itself. Are oftentimes necessary in operational science, and they can be effective and productive in helping scientists to solve problems and make advancements and important breakthroughs; but assumptions must be made with caution. The evolutionary community has a strangle-hold on the minds of many in the scientific community today and, all the while,  evolution is riddled with issues, many of which come down to the fundamental assumptions upon which evolution is based. Licker (new york: mcgraw-hill), sixth ng about evolution and the nature of science (1998), national academy of sciences (washington, dc: national academy press).