There was a word called empiricism , which I studied somewhere and it actually means the idea that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience, which includes observing the surroundings. The same goes for the actual definition taught to us in schools, which is short and precise, stating that “Science is the knowledge gained through observation.” Pretty straightforward, right?

But wait, there is something absurd about it because the general explanation always makes sense, but when we try to dig deeper and find the exact definition of what we are trying to figure out, we realize the devil is always in the details. That is why physicists found it painful to learn about atoms, and so did biologists when it came to learning about cells. But for science, which is defined as knowledge of observation, could our observation will ever let us know the world as it is, or only as we perceive it?

The answer could possibly be NO because the whole structure of science is built on reason, and there could be no place for subjective reality in it. Whatever is considered an objective fact should be perceived further to be studied as a scientific theory. It is only going to get proven or disproven because nothing is going to be invented in the realm of science. Anything that is possible is natural, and anything that naturally exists isn’t something that is being invented. For example, Newton’s laws of motion were something discovered because they already existed independently of our minds and before our eyes, but we were unable to understand them until a genius like Newton discovered them. However, from a constructivist or instrumentalist perspective, we might argue that, OK, the laws already existed awaiting discovery, but it was Newton who invented the framework or language to understand those laws in reality.

Most probably, you are wondering that there is a lot of complexity in science, along with uncertainty, but at least no one can argue that objective facts are more logically correct than subjective fairy tales or anecdotes. It is because 99% of people have no idea what science is. We think it’s a bunch of facts or a mysterious thing that only experts understand. But the truth is, science is just a way of figuring things out. Science is a process. Specifically, science is an algorithm that, when followed, produces information relating to a question.

Have you ever stumbled upon an old painting covered in black soot? You can only see a tiny glimpse of it, but it's enough to spark your curiosity. As you gently blow away the dust, more of the painting reveals itself, and you're hooked. You want to see the entire thing!

But here’s the twist: the soot is stubborn, and it’s hard to remove. You try blowing it away, but it doesn’t budge. So, you grab a scrub brush and gently scrub away, revealing a little more of the painting each time. It’s mesmerizing! The details are intricate, and you can’t help but wonder: is there a hidden message? Can we truly understand it? Can we finally see the whole painting in all its glory?

That painting is like nature itself, full of secrets waiting to be uncovered. Science and mathematics are our trusty tools for scrubbing away the unknown. We’re all scientists, trying to make sense of this beautiful mess. We work together, using our unique skills to reveal more of the painting. Theoreticians make educated guesses, experimentalists confirm them, and computational scientists refine the details.

It’s not always easy, and sometimes it feels impossible. But we don’t give up! We keep scrubbing, keep exploring, and keep discovering. Slowly but surely, we construct our own replica of the painting—our understanding of the world. It’s a never-ending journey, but it’s worth it, because the painting constantly reveals new wonders, new secrets, and new mysteries to solve.

When we ask ourselves, "Who defined this word?" we look for its roots and evolution in language. "Science" comes from the Latin "scientia," meaning "knowledge." The earliest evidence of the word "science" in English comes from the 14th century, described as what is known or knowledge acquired through study. It comes to us from Old French, meaning knowledge, learning, application, and corpus of human knowledge. From the late 14th century, a tertiary definition in English was "book learning," which later described any particular branch of knowledge or learning.

Science is split into many disciplines due to the impossibility of developing expertise across the entire body of knowledge. The four main branches of science are Physical Science, Earth Science, Life Science, and Formal Science. Physical Science includes Physics, Chemistry, and Astronomy, each with sub-fields like Optics, Nuclear Physics, and Astrobiology. Earth Science encompasses Geology, Meteorology, and Oceanography, with sub-fields like Physical Geology, Synoptic Meteorology, and Marine Biology. Life Science is a major part of the world around us, with branches like Biology, Zoology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry. Each of these branches has sub-fields like Botany, Ecology, Bacteriology, and Structural Biochemistry. Formal Science includes Computer Science, Mathematics, and Systems Science, with sub-fields like Robotics, Geometry, and Engineering.

But what role do these disciplines play in our understanding of the world?

Science is important to society because it’s an extension of how we perceive ourselves, each other, and the world around us. Richard Feynman highlighted three values of science: its usefulness in technologies, the enjoyment and inspiration we get from exploring the universe, and its ability to deal with ignorance, doubt, and uncertainty.

However, science can also have negative consequences, as seen in the Manhattan Project. Feynman emphasized that scientific knowledge is an enabling power to do either good or bad, but it doesn’t carry instructions on how to use it. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider the ethical implications of scientific discoveries and their applications.

I often wonder how science began, but then I realized, it never really did. Science was always there, waiting to be uncovered. It was us, humans, who discovered it, named it, and nurtured it. From ancient Greeks like Aristotle and Archimedes to modern-day pioneers like Newton and Einstein, we’ve been curious about the world around us for centuries. From Galileo’s telescope to the Large Hadron Collider, we’ve pushed the boundaries of human knowledge.

But science isn’t just about breakthroughs and discoveries. It’s a mindset. It’s about being curious, asking questions, and seeking answers. As Carl Sagan said, “Science is more than a body of knowledge. It is a way of thinking; a way of skeptically interrogating the universe with a fine understanding of human fallibility.” Also, Carl, in his book Cosmos, mentioned that science is going to be the only source that could help us find extraterrestrial life in the cosmos because of the laws of nature. So, there is also a possibility that on some planet somewhere in the magnificent universe, there are organisms that are as curious as we are and may hitt us up soon. You can call it a fantasy, but where there is water, there is life, and you can’t deny that at all.

In the end, I believe that science is a part of us, a natural extension of our humanity. And as we continue to explore, seek, and discover, I’m excited to see where this journey takes us next. However, there is also room for apocalypse, either intentionally by nuclear weapons or unintentionally by an asteroid (just like what happened to the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago). But this is not going to change the existence of science because the cosmos will continue to expand, unaffected by our existence, and the laws of nature will not cease to function. So, with a pessimistic approach, if such an event ever happens and if something else evolves with the same passion for science, they will most likely discover the same laws of nature but through a different method of discovery.

Author: Mohsin Ramzan
Researcher: Malaika Arshad