Q & A From Experiment and Experience(bsc sem 4 unit 1)

Here are short notes from Experiment and Experience:

Q.1 What is Experiment? write some of its characteristics.

Experiment is a methodology for gaining knowledge by discovering hard facts yielded by evidence. Students extensively used it as a method of gaining any knowledge. Science is taught by experiment as primary method. Everyone has learnt some laws or facts of science by doing some kind  of experiment.

There are some experiments popular and recognizable by most of students like

to find pH values of given sample

to study properties of acids and base

to determine focal length of a concave mirror

to trace the path of ray of light

These kinds of experiments makes a student observant and deductive in nature. It helps him bring out the truths on the nature of world and phenomenons. So, he then uses same methodology while asking questions like: how many people still listen to radio who possesses a television? or What was the Roman catholic birthrate in Australia compared with the protestant in 1959? These questions are not of science but of general knowledge. Still the methodology of experiment can be used here.

Author points out how various other areas also uses this methodology. They are as follow:

History- to know about way of life of people in certain era

Art- order of paintings by some artist or their originality

Literature- how and why certain texts were written

Music- what is difference between music of two musicians

Sociology- what are the reasons for certain social situations

Psychology- why certain behavior is shown by a certain person

Experiments demand an experimental, analytical frame of mind. That means experimenter should be free of bias and has to be open for unexpected and logical results. Experiments are to be carried out carefully. The details of it should be precise. Experimenter should not have any doubt about any kind of data She is using. Experiment can be repeated any number of times. That means if one uses same data, objects, reactions in same situation anytime the result will be same. Experimenter has to be detached from the experiment itself. She can not interfere in it for desired result. She has to remain distant from affecting the result. Experiments brings out a truth, which can be used by anybody. It adds to our collection of our  knowledge of the world.

Q.2 What is Experience? write some of its characteristics.

Experience is a response to the world and all that is in it.

Experience is undetermined phenomenon. It happens to everybody but there is no singular form we can attribute to it. When we experience something we perceive information, data or feelings through our five sensory organs: nose, ears, eyes, tongue and skin. They help us perceive smell, sound, picture, taste and touch of any object or situation. Our knowledge of it through this can be called experience.  Experience of visiting a new place,experience of watching a movie,experience of being sick,experience of feeling loved,experience of conversing with friends are common.

Experience has no defined methodology. Here methodology is absent as there no connection or accuracy between experiences perceived by different persons. Following are the characteristics of experience:

Experience does not need any particular frame of mind. It just needs mind and sensory organs to be active. Most of time two or three sensory organs are enough for experience. Experience can not be prepared or planned. They happen with people in arbitrary way. That's why experience is considered uncertain. Experience can not be repeated, not even by the same person. As different people have different taste, ideology, situations and past experiences same phenomenon affects them differently. Also, if a same person tries to repeat an experience it will differ to some extent from the first one. Experience is subjective. That means the person is a part of experience. Her beliefs, social background, position in power ladder, mindset, preparations etc makes her part of what she perceives. Experience also brings out a truth, but it adds to the knowledge of the person who has experienced it. He can not pass it fully to others. but this knowledge makes him grow up and shape his personality.