Scientific Temper

 Scientific Temper

Scientific temper is a way of life - an individual and social process of thinking and acting-which uses a scientific method, which may include questioning, observing physical reality, testing, hypothesizing, analysing, and communicating. Scientific temper describes an attitude which involves the application of logic. Discussion, argument and analysis are vital parts of scientific temper. Elements of fairness, equality and democracy are built into it.

Scientific temper is an attitude of logical thinking. If a person uses the scientific method in his/her daily life decision making process knowingly or unknowingly then we can say that he/she has scientific temper. This scientific temper is important in our life because this kind of attitude enable general public for making their decisions rational.

Characteristics
Scientific temper, or scientific attitude is characterized by following traits:

l Healthy scepticism (Skeptical thinking) is the questioning attitude or doubt  instances of knowledge which are asserted to be mere belief. Questioning knowledge which are not supported with evidence. The attitude of healthy scepticism implies that you do not accept others’ assertions unless these are logical, rational and supported by proper evidence.

l Universalism: Universalism is the idea that everyone can do science, regardless of race, nationality, gender or any other differences, and that everyone’s scientific claims should be scrutinized equally. In science, it’s all about your arguments, line of evidence and methodology, regardless of who you are.It is the idea that the important issue for scientists is the content of claims about the world (or about the phenomena being studied), not the particulars about the people making those claims.

l Freedom from prejudice or bias: The observations have to be objective. You observe things as they are, without trying to manipulate these to fit in some pre-conceived ideas.

l Objectivity:  Individuals who have an objective attitude will collect and interpret ideas or interpret data and then communicate their findings fairly to achieve an accurate problem solution.

l Open mindedness: open mindedness is the willingness to change conclusions in the light of reliable evidence and humility. freedom from pride and arrogance, which comes from realization of limitations of our intellect and ever broadening horizons of knowledge. 

l Humility: Humility is freedom from pride and arrogance, which comes from realization of limitations of our intellect and ever broadening horizons of knowledge. 

l Willingness to suspend judgement without sufficient evidence:Students having a feeling of dissatisfaction with drawing conclusions before finding authentic evidence or facts that are not supported by evidence and avoiding hasty decision making. 

l Rationality: Logical reasoning involves using a given set of facts or data to conclude other facts by reasoning logically. It involves drawing specific conclusions based on valid data.

l Perseverance - is positive approach to failures through hard work.

 

Ways to develop Scientific Temper: Scientific temper is best developed during the childhood.

l An effective method of fostering scientific temper is imparting knowledge of science through experimentation and demonstration, by involving students directly in activities similar to how scientists operate in discovering new knowledge. This is usually referred to as the discovery approach to teaching.

l To inculcate scientific temper among the students they need to be placed in situations -through role play, quizzes, model making etc. - where critical and rational thinking are needed.

l Make them aware of the impact of science on society by arranging visits to factories, hospitals,
research laboratories, showing suitable video films, organizing talks by eminent scientists and technologists, and encouraging them to participate in science exhibitions.

l Inculcation of values like honesty, truthfulness, humility, perseverance, positive approach to failure can be done through education by using scientific methodologies.

l Blogs, facebook, e-news paper, wall newspapers and mobile phones are some of the ultra modern and innovative means of science communication through which scientific temper can be developed. It is encouraged through print media, folk lore, folk dance, street plays, puppet shows ec.

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