Various aspects of life define the universe and practices of people from place to place. The diverse definitive perspectives of life range from science, non-science, Protoscience and pseudoscience. The focus of this essay is to define and highlight instances of the aspects above.
Science, Pseudoscience, Protoscience and Non-Science
Science refers to the gradual study that builds knowledge, based on explanations tested, as well as predictions ascertained, concerning the universe and its contents. Some of the frequent scientific instances include;
a. The Sun warms the Earth unevenly.
b. Snow occurs in temperatures that are 320c or below.
c. Cloud seeding can be used successfully to improve a ski resort's snowfall.
d. Scientists decide that Pluto should be classified as a dwarf planet, instead of a planet.
e. It's predicted that the weather on Friday will be at a high of 400c.
f. If you place an inflated balloon at room temperature into a freezer, it will shrink in size.
g. Jack planted the seeds, and a beanstalk grew.
Pseudoscience refers to the conglomerate of beliefs, mistakenly considered as being arrived at vide scientific methods (Hansson, 2013). Some pseudoscience instances include;
a. It's always sunny in Southern California.
b. Windows should always be opened before a tornado hits.
c. I'm 100% safe from lightning in my home.
d. My birthday falls under the sign of Aquarius, so I am creative and loyal.
Protoscience, on the other hand, refers to a field of study or instance that is initially not scientific but becomes scientific through subjection to tests (Grayling, 2011). Such examples include;
a. Atmospheric electricity might give us clues to climate change.
b. There is life somewhere in the universe.
Non-science is the set of information that is not proven to use scientific methodology or observations and include scenarios such as;
a. Moses parted the sea with his rod so his people could cross to the other side.
b. The meaning of life can be determined and verified.
c. Definitely, I am going to be rich.
Statement Analysis
The statement I classified is "The sun warms the Earth unevenly." I tested the same using the NOTTUS approach, which in full stands for the fact that the statement has to be proved Natural, Observable, Testable, Tentative, Uncertain and Social for it to qualify as any of the four aspects of the universe.
Natural
The statement is natural in its occurrence and dwells within the realms of science as it explains what happens and gives a reason for it, being that the unevenness of earth's surface results in uneven heating of its surface.
Observable
The statement selected represents a phenomenon that is observable by any of the senses humans have or any relatable tools that can be used to measure stimuli that senses receive. The unevenness of heat on the earth can be felt through touch and measurement of temperatures and air pressure as a proof.
Testable
The heating of the sun relays the aspect of temperature, which when measured severally over a given area of unevenness, would result in a trend of outcome that is almost predictable. Thus, the phenomenon is testable and verifiable.
Tentative
With the increase in tests, it can be revealed that it is not only the unevenness of earth that causes differences in observable temperatures but also other factors such as the positioning of the sun, which give this phenomenon a tentative attribute.
Uncertainty
The described occurrence is always uncertain due to various arising issues such as atmospheric clarity. Thus, the warming of the earth can be affected by other factors, making it an unpredictable phenomenon.
Social
The existence of warm from the sun and the fact that it impacts on the earth in a non-uniform manner makes the whole observation subject to arguments in the quest to seek better and credible explanations.
Conclusion
The sun warms the earth unevenly. The various parameters used to analyse whether a phenomenon is a science, Protoscience, non-science or pseudoscience place the given statement at a Science phenomenon, based on the much it fulfils.
References
Grayling, A. C. (2011). Psychology: How we form beliefs. Nature, 474(7352), 446-447.
Hansson, S. O. (2013). Defining pseudoscience and science. The philosophy of pseudoscience, 61-77.
