ABSTRACT
Scientific accounts provide us with ways of understanding ourselves and the world. Based in the philosophy of materialism, they strive to offer explanations of physical phenomena as well as theories that are consistent with empirical evidence. A statement like water freezes when the temperature falls below zero is observably true and the natural sciences allow us to understand what is actually happening when ice is formed. Factual information like this can affect how we live our lives; in this example, it might mean lagging our water pipes or taking extra precautions when driving on winter roads. In other cases, scientific information provides a basis for harnessing energy, or curing disease, or enabling the development of a host of useful products. And while the accounts can become quite complex, the rational explanations offered by the scientific community generally aim to provide clear, unambiguous information about the nature of the physical world and its processes. There are no deeper or hidden meanings to such accounts; what you see is what you get.
