Science
From RationalWiki
"Dad, you should listen to him. He's a man of science and you can barely read." - Lisa Simpson
"The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not "Eureka!" but "That's funny..." - Isaac Asimov
Science is the system of acquiring knowledge through use of the scientific method. Science is divided into broad fields used to categorise the phenomenon being studied, such as biology, chemistry, geology etc. Each of these broader fields is then broken up into finer and finer subjects. For example, physics includes the study of light, heat, force, and energy, etc. and these can be further divided into specialisations arriving at a subject such as the electric field. For examples of what science is not see any article in here.
Science has been the most spectacularly successful method humankind has invented for the investigation of the material world. It is, however, often reviled, at least in part, by religious fundamentalists, as the truths it uncovers often conflict with their holy books. Sometimes, even politicians become annoyed when scientific results do not correspond with those which would further their particular platforms or beliefs. This is particularly the case with American Democrats and Republicans who chafe against scientific evidence that is inconvenient to the bottom lines of the large corporations that fund their campaigns and pay for their golfing trips.
It is interesting that while these people will often bitterly attack certain branches of science (cf. evolution, relativity), they are usually perfectly content to utilize the fruits of science in their everyday lives by using computers, modern medicine, and air travel.
One of their favorite "generic" criticisms used when attacking a specific branch or discovery of science is that "science is always changing". This, ironically, is one of the greatest strengths of science. All of science is a "work in progress", which corrects its mistakes and improves its theories, when it encounters evidence that calls them into question.
Science is often divided into Applied Science and Basic Research. The first applies scientific discoveries to the development of new and improved technology, from cars to iPods. The second pursues scientific knowledge for its own sake with no particular practical goal in mind. The nice thing is that basic research often ends up providing the raw material for unexpected practical uses.
