Science

Article By:

Bridgman, Percy W. Formerly, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Nobelist.

Holton, Gerald Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Last reviewed:February 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.607100

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• Science, published 2014:Download PDF Get Adobe Acrobat Reader

The study of nature and natural phenomena in which facts are observed and classified, and, often, quantitative laws are formulated and verified; involves the application of logical reasoning and data analysis to natural phenomena. Originally, the term "science" did not begin with any formal definition. Rather, the various disciplines now within the sciences arose independently, each in response to some particular need. When, around the 17th century, it was observed that certain of these disciplines had enough traits in common to justify classifying them together, modern science (see illustration) was born. Usage of the term is not, however, always unanimous as to whether some disciplines should be called sciences, and there is often lively controversy as to the propriety of speaking of the social or historical sciences. Many, for example, do not classify economics as a true science.

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