Of course, there are many different definitions of science, and inquisitive students should be encouraged
to find a conceptualization of science that suits their own intellectual development. For me, science is all about
finding general relationships among objects. In the so-called physical sciences, the most important relationships
are expressed as mathematical equations (eg, the relationship between force, mass and acceleration; the
relationship between voltage, current and resistance). In the so-called natural sciences, relationships are often
expressed through classifications (eg, the classification of living organisms). Scientific advancement is the
discovery of new relationships or the discovery of a generalization that applies to objects hitherto confined
within disparate scientific realms (eg, evolutionary theory arising from observations of organisms and geologic
strata). Engineering would be the area of science wherein scientific relationships are exploited to build new
technology.
- Jules Berman (copyrighted material)
