陳蕙雅思教材 - 雅思閱讀精選 (Scientific Theories)

Scientific Theories

In science, a theory is areasonable explanation of observed events that

are related. A theoryoften involves an     imaginary model thathelps

scientists picture theway an observed event could be produced. A good

example of this        is found in the kinetic moleculartheory, in which gases

are pictured as beingmade up of many small particles that are in constant

motion.

A useful theory, inaddition to explaining past observations, helps to

predict events that havenot as yet been   observed. After a theoryhas been

publicized, scientistsdesign experiments to test  the theory.If

observations confirm the scientists' predictions,  the theory is  

supported. Ifobservations do not confirm the predictions, the          scientists

must search further.There may be a fault in the experiment, or the theory

may have to be revised or  rejected.

Science involvesimagination and  creative thinking  as well as collecting  

information andperforming experiments.    Facts bythemselves are not

science. As themathematician Jules Henri Poincare said,"Science is built

with facts      just as a house is built with bricks, buta collection of facts  

cannot  be called science any more than a pile of  bricks  can  becalled  

a house." Mostscientists start an investigation by finding out what other

scientists have learnedabout a particular problem. After known facts have

been gathered, thescientist comes to the part of the investigation that

requires         considerable imagination. Possiblesolutions to the problem are

formulated. Thesepossible solutions are called hypotheses.

In a way, any hypothesisis a leap into the unknown. It extends the

scientist's thinkingbeyond the known facts.      The scientistplans

experiments, performscalculations, and makes observations to test

hypotheses. Without          hypothesis, further investigationlacks purpose and

direction. When hypothesesare confirmed, they are incorporated into

theories.

科學理論

在科學中，理論是對所觀察到的相關事件的合理解釋。 理論通常包含一個虛構的模型，

這個模型説明科學家構想所觀察到的事件是如何發生的。  分子運動理論便是我們能找到的 一個很好的例子。

在這個理論中，氣體被描繪成由許多不斷運動的小顆粒組成。 一個有用 的理論，除了能夠解釋過去的觀測，還有助於預測那些未被觀測到的事件。  一個理論公開

後，科學家們設計實驗來檢驗這個理論。  如果觀察證實了科學家的預言，這個理論則得到 了驗證。 如果觀察不能證實科學家的預言，科學家就必須進一步的研究。

或許是實驗存在 錯誤，或許是這個理論必須被修改或拋棄。  科學家除了收集資訊和操作實驗外還需要想像 能力和創/造性思維。  事實本身並不是科學。  

正如數學家喬斯·亨利·波恩克爾所說："科 學建立在事實之上，就像房子用磚砌成一樣。  但事實的收集不能被稱作科學，就像一堆磚 不能被叫作房子一樣。  

"多數科學家通過找出別的科學家在一個特定問題上的所知來開始研 究。在收集了已知事實之後，科學家開始了研究中需要相當想像力的部分。  他們爾後擬訂

對這個問題的可行的解決方法。這些可行的解決方式被稱為假設。  在某種意義上，任何假

設都是向未知的跳躍。它使科學家的思維超越已知事實。科學家計畫實驗、計算、觀測以檢 驗假定。若沒有假設，進一步的研究便缺乏目的和方向。  

當假設被證實了，就成為理論的 一部分。