Science: Early Notes

 RCS Posts: Introducing science. The practice of science is a way to understanding.

 

            Science is the practice of a method of understanding and of communicating that understanding. Some say that science may be defined by the scientific method. This method can be a good aid to  self development and too becoming a more successful human being.

 

            By becoming better acquainted with this method one becomes a more knowing individual. One gains a better understanding of all the sciences. One may even discover a useful scientific attitude toward one's world. 

 

            The scientific method generally includes the following doings: observation, identification, recognition, discovery, experimentation, and the theoretical explanation of natural phenomena. So, a scientist observes a doing or happening, tests it, and begins to explain it. The method is how he does this. How one does it may be more important than what one does. 

 

            If you feel yourself getting interested in science you can benefit much by gaining a more fulsome understanding of the vocabulary of the paragraph above including: phenomena, identification, theoretical, recognition, and discovery. You may benefit more by asking for the scientific meaning of each. Two places you can do that are by checking online and by asking me to elaborate.

 

            "Science" is, at heart, knowledge. It has come to name a special way of gaining that knowledge. That special way has come to be called the "scientific method." The method is not complicated. However, skill in its use needs to be developed. Science is a way of coming to know; a powerful way. It is also an effective way of communicating that knowledge.

 

            The scientific method is the main way science is done. 

 

            Now that you are likely to be realizing that the scientific method is a practical and productive way of gaining knowledge, let me assure you that is also for gaining a useful understanding of each of the many individual sciences.

            The process of science and the gaining of all knowledge is often best begun with observation. You can check out some of the ways of observation online. Also let me know what you want to know more of. I will be please to share whatever I know.

 

I            I suppose that you now get that I believe that observation is important to the doing of science and, indeed, to most knowledge getting. What one does is observe. That is done by using one's senses and is best done by searching carefully. How you do it may include the use of instrumentation. It is done attentively, noting, and recording. Observation can lead to developing to a judgement or inference. Where might it all lead!

            Identification is the next step in the method. There are ways of conducting the process of identification. Those ways may differ from science to science. However, the way of identification can inclued the finding of: the origin of a phenomenon, its nature, and its definitive elements. For certain sciences it might be to detrmaine its taxonomic classification.

            Just below the end of this post there is a window in which you may make corrections and additions to this content, and also to ask questions and make comments. You may begin that procecess or to explore it click on "comments" there. Should you encounter "no coments" clock anyway.

            As you continue to learn more about science you will come to understand more including public health issuse and scientific reporting. You may find yourself being attracted to a specific  science. Every on can have a favorite science. Or, you may finding yourself asking for the details of the effectivness of a new drug, or for a better exposition of the evidence, and stuff like that. 

            You could find yourself reminding a friend that the correlation between two variables does nor mean that one one causes the other, and maybe even giving a clear explanation of why that is a fact.

             Your interest may lead you to an interest in the politics of research and health policy decisions or that of access science.

 

            You may find another science related posts on this blog.

 

            Thank you for reading.

 

 

             

            

 

Trauma

RCS Posts: Who among us has not suffered trauma, physical, mental, emotional trauma                 

 

             Trauma, especially long lasting trauma, has mostly negative effects on us. It often wounds us, scars us, and trains us. Yes, trains us; teaches responses and habits and points of view. The training often results in learning that is counter productive in many life situations. 

 

            A prison term is often powerfully traumatizing. Prison wounds and trains. It leaves scars and engraves memories. And, of course, it changes the course of a life, for life. Its a sort of life sentence. 

            Months in certain military situations changes one similarly. There are reasons that we say war is hell.

            In one's lifetime there might occur a variety of trauma. A crippling accident and the death of one's child are dramatic and serious examples. However, few traumatizing situations are institutionalized and as socially sanctioned as are war and prison.

            We now have more of our fellows in prison for less reason then ever; more than any other nation or country. We pay a lot to traumatize others. Such payments may in time be traumatizing in themselves. We need to become aware that liberated prisoners are in need of help. Sometimes part of the help he needs may be called spiritual. He(or she) may need retraining in their craft or profession. She may benefit greatly from support to attend weekly meetings with recovering persons with similar trauma.

            A prisoner or a kidnapped person has probably too long suffered traumatizing mental pressure and is in need of care and a reintroduction to society. A man we have trained to kill for us and has killed for us needs similar reintroduction and care.

            A prisoner has, from his very release, suffered a moral deformity. How much deformation may he have suffered during his term as a prisoner? Still his sudden freedom is another trauma. 

            Saying, and knowing, that we too have suffered trauma does little to change the reality of another who has so suffered. Telling him (and her) of what you have suffered and listening to him tell what he has suffered may do a bit to heal that suffering. Perhaps even you and others could benefit from a kind of debriefing. Sharing a hurtful, angering, desocializing, embittering, experience with another who has so suffered has proved healing for many. Such interchange often seems to ease the heart and also to more usefully arrange the memories.

            However, we need to keep in mind a kidnap victim, a prisoner, a warrior  Has other needs: food, housing, clothing, health care, education, and more. Perhaps more than anything a good income well earned.

            After the shock of release from what has often been a painful demeaning situation,has settled, bitterness often comes. Release is a relief but, one has been hurt and hurt often turns to anger. With the passage of time and, hopefully, some help that anger may turn to a kind of bitterness. The bitterness is not unnatural but, it does not make for a happy camper.  One may go on to suffer a long term of an unpleasant disillusionment and bitterness for  damn good reasons 

 There there may be more to come.

                                                                            by Richard