Science is the search for accurate and reproducable but not irrefutable information. Science is not interested in subjective analysis. Instead, it is about the human quest to understand the univeral truths or facts about our natural environment.
All scientific endeavour seeks to produce a scientifically based creation myth. Science can be viewed as the search for a holy grail using a doctrine that is based upon observation and experiment and is subject to revision.
The scientific process is a complex process involving;
- theorists creating hypotheses and models
- observers performing experiments involving objects within the universe (eg. a user)
- Technologists building machines
The scientific method, has enabled exponential growth in human knowledge and expertise which is often put to practical use. Scientific literature undergoes a period of peer review in which facts, evidence and conclusions are verified to ensure their integrity.
In scientific activities there is a separation between the subject and the object. Art and religion are observations, feelings and recognitions which cannot be reproduced unlike something scientific, which can be easily replicated. Religion and art are not scientific, because they create unique expressions and opinions, unlike a scientific experiment.
Some scientific researchers are problem-driven and other researchers are technology-driven. Today scientists use the latest information technology to process their data, for example, visualization. Another modern benefit is that scientists are able to share and distribute their knowledge with improved efficiency via internet. Projects which are related to infoAnarchy include distributed computing projects like SETI.
Information technologists are the network engineers, the software developers and hardware manufacturers currently driving decentralized peer-to-peer file sharing. Current computer science covers a wide range of fields which provide society with improved knowledge management capabilities.
Scientific investigation should be based on scientific integrity. Many fields of interest are claimed to be based on science, while disputes over authenticity continue. These subjects have been described as Cargo Cult Sciences by Richard Feynman. Candidates for these sciences include Education, Economics, Psychology and Statistics.
Valid research which provides new information is often ignored for political reasons. For example, the Union of Concerned Scientists recently released a report showing instances of the Bush Administration trying to ignore and obscure scientific concerns.