Notes

Scientists use creativity to determine which smaller questions are likely to yield results, imagine possible answers to their questions, and devise ways to test those answers. To be creative, scientists need background knowledge, which they gain by learning about past scientific work, talking to colleagues, and tapping their own experience.

Science is an objective, self correcting method for gathering and organizing information about the natural world through repeated observation and experimentation.

For example, is someone who cooks a scientist? Do good cooks experiment by tasting the food, and then adding a pinch of salt or a bit of spice to make it better? That is observation and experimentation. Do cooks change their recipes if they don't taste good? That is self correcting. Do cooks keep track of their favorite recipes? They are gathering and organizing information. The more you look at the act of cooking, the more you realize that it involves a lot of science.

OK, one more. What about video gamers? Surely that can't be science, can it? Do good gamers experiment with different strategies to find out how to deal with a specific enemy, trap, or puzzle? Do they talk with other gamers, sharing what they have learned and picking up new information? Are their strategies self-correcting, adapting and changing as they learn more about how the game works? Actually, learning a new video game is an excellent example of how science really works. Good gamers are definitely scientists.