Kinds of Science
What is pure science?
This type of science is driven mainly by curiosity and aims to expand what we know rather than solve a practical problem.
What is archaeology?
This field studies past human life by examining preserved relics and objects left behind.
What does the internal test involve?
What is dendrochronology?
A method of aging that determines a tree's age by counting it's growth rings.
What are artifacts?
Objects made by humans that archaeologists can study to learn more about the past.
What is applied science?
This form of science takes existing knowledge and uses it to solve everyday problems or improve something.
What are artifacts?
Tools, weapons, pottery, and other objects made by people are known by this name.
What does the external test involve?
Making sure the document does not conflict with other known historical or archaeological facts.
Explain radiometric dating.
A method of dating an artifact using the decay of radioactive materials to estimate an object's age.
What is the definition of pure science?
Scientific research done mainly to increase knowledge rather than to create a useful product.
What is technology?
A new process, tool, or machine that makes life easier or a job simpler.
What is geology?
This science looks at Earth's history through the rocks that make up our planet.
What is the bibliographic test?
Examining whether the copies of a document we have today are essentially the same as the original.
Explain the principle of superposition.
When you have different strata of rock that have not been disturbed, the oldest layers are at the bottom and the youngest layers are at the top.
Explain textual criticism.
When we compare different copies of an ancient text to decide which version is closest to the original.
What is life science?
This broad term covers all scientific work that deals with living organisms.
What is paleontology?
The study of life's history through the preserved remains of once-living organisms.
We use Aristotle's Dictum when applying what test of a historical document, which says to give the document the benefit of the doubt rather than the translator?
The internal test
You can only use dendrochronology with trees that produce one of what every year?
Tree rings or growth rings
Explain the copy-text method.
Where a critic looks at the base text and then looks for corrections that may have been made to it in future copies.
When an artifact has a date printed on it or is clearly mentioned in a historical document.
According to research, the Bible passes which two document tests better than any other ancient document?
The external and the bibliographic test.
There are two types of dates for an object, what are they and what is the difference between the two?
Relative age tells us whether one object is older or younger than another.
Absolute age provides an actual numerical age.
What are the three main components of eclecticism?
The internal test, the external test, and the bibliographic test.