Creation Mandate
God's command in Genesis 1:28 to manage the earth wisely, and to use it for His glory and man's benefit.
worldview
the overall perspective that is based on presuppositions that a person uses to view and interpret the world
presupposition
A basic assumption about the world that a person assumes is true.
model
a simple, useful, workable representation of something in the world
hypothesis
an initial explanation for a scientific problem. It is the starting point for testing the validity of an explanation.
theory
a model that attempts to explain a set of observations.
law
a description of the relationship between two or more variables that is based on repeated observations. describes something that happens without any explanation as to why it happens. are often mathematical.
data
any information scientists collect by observing nature
measured data
Data that usually consists of numbers with units. Scientists produce using instruments. is usually more objective . Also known as quantitative data.
descriptive data
data that describes an observation using words. depends more on the observer's judgement, so it may not be as reliable or repeatable . Also known as qualitative data.
science
the collection of observations, explanations, and models produced through an organized study of nature and the processes found in nature, for enabling people to exercise good and wise dominion over God's world. also refers to the organized methods that produce these observations, explanations, and models.
earth science
the knowledge and practices of observing the earth and its processes. involves using appropriate tools to create models that describe and explain how the earth works.
scientific process
an orderly way investigating a question in science by using measurable and repeatable observations to test a hypothesis
operational science
the study of presently occurring scientific events.
principle of uniformity
a scientific principle asserting that the same process will always produce the same results. It assumes that the world operates in a reliable and consistent way that makes it predictable.
principle of cause and effect
A scientific principle that tells us that any observable result of a process - an effect - must have an adequate cause.
historical science
the investigation of events that happened in the unobservable past by observing evidence in the present. depends heavily on a scientist's worldview.