In its 20 1 Plan-Science for All, the American Association for the Advancement of Science expounded the essence of science from three aspects: [6] \x0d\\x0d\ 1 Scientific world outlook \ x0d \ x0d \ scientist's point of view. \x0d\\x0d\( 1) The world is knowable \x0d\\x0d\ Scientists believe that by using wisdom and instruments to expand human senses, people can discover the natural operation mode. \x0d\\x0d\(2) Scientific theories are changeable \x0d\\x0d\ No matter how a scientific theory perfectly explains a series of observed facts, there are always other theories that are equally applicable or better than it and have a wider application range. \x0d\\x0d\(3) Persistence of scientific knowledge \x0d\\x0d\ Although scientific theories change, they are only revised, not completely denied. \x0d\\x0d\(4) Science cannot provide all the answers to all the questions \x0d\\x0d\ Some things in the world cannot be effectively studied by scientific methods. For example, faith by its very nature cannot be proved or denied. Although scientists sometimes contribute to the discussion of good and evil by identifying the possible consequences of some special behaviors and weighing the pros and cons, they can't solve such problems. \x0d\\x0d\ 2。 Scientific Inquiry \ x0d \ \ x0d \ Different disciplines in science have the same dependence on evidence, hypothesis, theory, applied logic and many other aspects. However, scientists have great differences in determining the research object, how to carry out their work, attaching importance to historical data or experimental findings, applying qualitative or quantitative methods, how to apply basic theories, and how many other scientists' research results to absorb. However, because scientists constantly exchange technology, information and concepts, they have rich knowledge of the elements that constitute effective scientific research. Without specific scientific research, scientific inquiry is difficult to express, and there is no simple and fixed scientific inquiry model. However, some characteristics of science make the scientific inquiry mode have the following obvious characteristics: \ x0d \ x0d \ (1) Science needs evidence \ x0d \ x0d \ The establishment of scientific claims is ultimately determined by the observation of phenomena. Scientists passively observe (such as earthquakes and bird migration), collect specimens (rocks and shells), and actively explore nature (such as drilling holes in the earth's crust or preparing experimental drugs) in order to find evidence. Because science depends on evidence, it is of great value to develop better instruments and observation techniques. At the same time, the findings of any individual or group need to be verified by other researchers. \ x0d \ x0d \ (2) Science is a combination of logic and imagination \ x0d \ x0d \ scientific argumentation must conform to the principle of logical reasoning, that is, evidence is determined by applying certain reasoning standards, proofs and common sense, but only logic and strict verification of evidence can not meet the development of science. Scientific concepts do not automatically come from data or some analysis. Putting forward assumptions or theories to imagine how the world works, and then designing how they can be verified in reality is as creative as writing poems, composing music or designing skyscrapers. \x0d\\x0d\(3) Science can explain and predict \x0d\\x0d\ The reliability of scientific theories usually depends on their ability to reveal the relationship between previously seemingly unrelated phenomena. For example, the reliability of continental drift theory lies in that it explains the relationship between earthquakes, volcanoes, fossils and other phenomena on different continents, as well as the matching between the shape of continents and the contour lines of the seabed. \x0d\\x0d\(4) Scientists need to distinguish right from wrong and avoid prejudice \x0d\\x0d\ Scientists' nationality, gender, race, age and political beliefs may make them tend to look for or emphasize some evidence or explanations. For example, for many years, male scientists have been focusing on the competitive social behavior of male animals, and it was not until female scientists entered this research field that people realized the importance of female primates forming social behavior. In a research field, the way to avoid imperceptible bias is to let different researchers or research groups work on the same job. \x0d\\x0d\(5) Science does not pursue authoritarianism \x0d\\x0d\ Even the most prestigious scientists sometimes refuse to accept new theories, although enough evidence has been collected to convince other scientists. But in the long run, the theory is judged by its results, that is, when someone puts forward a new or improved theory, if it explains more phenomena or answers more important questions than the previous theory, then the new theory will gradually replace the previous theory. \x0d\\x0d\ 3。 Scientific undertaking \ x0d \ \ x0d \ As an undertaking, science has three dimensions: individual, society and institution. Scientific activities are one of the main features of the world today. Compared with other characteristics, it may be more able to distinguish our era from the previous era. \x0d\\x0d\( 1) Science is a complex social activity \x0d\\x0d\ The direction of scientific research is influenced by interests, political climate, race, social values and other factors. Because science has social attributes, the dissemination of scientific information is the key to scientific progress. Many scientists publish their findings and theories in the form of papers in conferences, professional scientific magazines or on the Internet, and then inform other scientists of their research work so that they can comment on their own views. Finally, these findings become an organic part of scientific knowledge. \x0d\\x0d\(2) Science is divided into different disciplines and conducted in different institutions \x0d\\x0d\ The advantage of dividing science into different disciplines is that they can provide internally consistent conceptual structures for organizing research work and research results. The disadvantage is that it is inconsistent with the operating mechanism of the world, and it is difficult to communicate between disciplines because of the possible differences in research methods in different fields. The intersection of traditional disciplines constantly forms new disciplines (such as astrophysics, genetic engineering, social biology, etc.). Sponsors (such as universities, enterprises, governments, private foundations, etc.). ) influence the direction of scientific research by deciding what kind of research to support. \x0d\\x0d\(3) There are generally accepted ethics in scientific research \x0d\\x0d\ records are accurate, aboveboard, repeatedly verified, supported by the judgment of peer scientists, etc. It has always been a professional ethics tradition that most scientists abide by. However, sometimes some scientists may be reluctant to disclose their research information, or even forge their findings, because of the reputation pressure brought by publishing a theory or observation first. Another scientific and moral issue that needs attention is the use and treatment of living experimental objects in scientific experiments. No matter people or animals, they should not be abused and should be treated on a voluntary basis. In addition, whether scientific research is applied to military or other potentially dangerous purposes is also a sensitive moral issue. \x0d\\x0d\(4) Scientists are both experts and citizens when they participate in public affairs \x0d\\x0d\ Usually, scientists can help the public understand the possible causes or possibilities of certain events and prove which ideas are impossible. Compared with scientific research, the problems related to science are completely different. When it comes to public interests, scientists, like others, will be biased when their own interests, personal interests, cooperative interests, group interests or community interests are threatened. \ x0d \ x0d \ To sum up, science, in essence, is actually a reasonable explanation or explanation of natural phenomena observed or recognized by human beings. In order to make it reliable, accurate and predictable, people have applied logic, mathematics and experimental methods to form a verified and systematic knowledge system. The complexity and infinity of nature and the limitation of human understanding require people to constantly explore scientifically in order to gradually understand the laws of nature. Because science is a cause that human beings strive for, it is closely related to the development of human society, and at the same time, the values and morality of human beings and their society will also have a profound impact on scientific inquiry activities. \x0d\\x0d\ II。 The value of scientific essence in scientific education \ x0d \ x0d \ 1. The essence of science enables us to establish a correct view of science \ x0d \ x0d \ To carry out science education, we must first have a correct understanding of science and establish a correct view of science. The essence of science clarifies the basic characteristics of science, which is a correct understanding of the essential attributes of science. It makes us realize that science needs imagination and reasoning, as well as conjecture and hypothesis, but they are not enough to form a scientific theory and need to be based on the facts observed many times. With the deepening of the understanding of nature, people will observe more facts, and on this basis, they will develop scientific theories that explain more phenomena and have a wider range of applications, so that the original scientific theories will be replaced by new scientific theories. Therefore, after the formation of scientific theory, it is not eternal, but constantly developing and changing. As a way for human beings to understand and deal with nature, science has played a great role in promoting the development of human society, but it also has limitations, and it cannot solve all the problems faced by human beings. \ x0d \ x0d \ There are three wrong ideas about science: scientism, pseudoscience and anti-science. "Scientism" exaggerates the power of science, thinks that science is omnipotent, and introduces scientific methods into all research fields of human culture. "Pseudo-science" is an idea that regards what has been proved by the scientific community as science, or declares non-scientific theories or methods without scientific basis as more scientific than science under the banner of science [7]. "Anti-science" is different from "pseudo-science", which uses some bad consequences or defects of science to deny the value of science. The nature of science can help us recognize their nature and avoid making scientism, pseudoscience and anti-science mistakes in science education. \x0d\\x0d\ 2。 The essence of science reveals the connotation of science education. \ x0d \ \ x0d \ Science education in schools should not only meet the needs of national, social and student development, but also reflect the inherent requirements of science itself. However, the demand of the country, society and students' development for science education is finally realized through the specific content of science education. For a long time, the content of science education in China has always been to impart and master systematic scientific knowledge. From the essence of science, this is one-sided and cannot reflect the whole picture of science. Science education should not only enable students to acquire systematic scientific knowledge, but more importantly, enable students to establish a scientific view of nature, master scientific methods to understand the world, and understand the interactive relationship between science and society. The content of science education should reflect that science is not only a systematic knowledge system about nature, but also a process of human exploration and understanding of nature, which also includes attitudes, values and moral issues. Ralph E. Martin, an American science educator, pointed out that science education should have three connotations, namely, scientific knowledge, scientific process skills and scientific attitude: [8] \ x0d \ \ x0d \ (1) Scientific knowledge includes \ x0d \ x0d \ (2) Scientific process ability includes basic. \ x0d \ x0d \ Basic abilities are: observation, classification, communication, measurement, estimation, prediction and reasoning. \x0d\\x0d\ Comprehensive abilities include: defining problems, controlling variables, giving operational definitions, assumptions, experiments, graphics, interpretation, modeling and research \x0d\\x0d\(3) Scientific attitudes include: emotional attitudes and intellectual attitudes. \ x0d \ x0d \ Emotional attitude refers to people's curiosity about nature when learning and gaining new experiences. It can be divided into strong curiosity, perseverance, correct attitude towards failure, open thinking and the spirit of cooperation with others. \ x0d \ x0d \ intellectual attitude refers to the attitude related to intelligence when actively learning experience, including the expectation of reliable information sources, skepticism (hoping that different opinions will be confirmed), avoiding generalizations when evidence is limited, tolerating other opinions and explanations, not easily judging before all evidence is discovered, rejecting superstitious and unconfirmed opinions, being good at changing one's own opinions according to new evidence and accepting doubts about one's own opinions. The biggest difference between it and perceptual attitude is that there is a rational component here. \ x0d \ x0d \ It can be seen that the expositions of Lafer E. Martin and others fully reflect the requirements of the nature of science for the content of science education. \ x0d \ x0d \ 3。 The essence of science deepens the understanding of scientific inquiry \ x0d \ x0d \ "Scientific inquiry is a variety of ways for scientists to study nature and put forward various explanations according to the evidence obtained from this research, and it is also a variety of activities for students to acquire knowledge and understand the scientific ideas and methods used by scientists to study nature" [9]. In science education, advocating scientific inquiry teaching method is the main trend of science education reform. So why does science education emphasize the importance of scientific inquiry so much? In the past, we generally regarded scientific inquiry as an effective means to cultivate high-quality talents and develop students' various abilities from the perspective of social demand for talents and student development. There is no doubt that these are essential and significant, but from the perspective of science itself, they are only external reasons. The essence of science shows that science is not only a systematic knowledge system, but also an inquiry activity. Therefore, in science education, taking scientific inquiry as the main way of education and teaching is the requirement of scientific essence. \ x0d \ x0d \ In China, it is of far-reaching significance to advocate scientific inquiry-based education and teaching methods. In fact, the science we are studying and studying now was formed during the European Renaissance in14-15th century. /kloc-in the middle of 0/9th century, western science began to be introduced into China on a large scale. Because China is not the source of modern science, and there are great differences between western culture and China traditional culture, it is inevitable that the process of learning modern science from the west has a strong utilitarian color, paying attention to the achievements and applications of scientific research, ignoring the methods of acquiring scientific knowledge and the value factors in scientific research. For nearly a century, there have been some problems in science education in primary and secondary schools in China, such as attaching importance to knowledge indoctrination, ignoring the self-construction and exploration of knowledge, attaching importance to the teaching of scientific facts and results, ignoring the education of methods, processes, attitudes and values, attaching importance to knowledge repetition and ignoring knowledge innovation. In science education, we advocate the teaching method based on scientific inquiry. One of the important purposes is to reflect the essence of scientific inquiry and restore the true nature of science. \ x0d \ x0d \ 4。 The essence of science is an important goal of science education. \ x0d \ x0d \ The purpose of science education is not only to enable students to acquire scientific knowledge, but more importantly, to form their basic views on nature, obtain methods to explore the laws of nature, and cultivate students' innovative ability and scientific spirit. In view of the fact that the essence of science plays an indispensable role in forming a correct view of nature and science, improving students' consciousness of scientific inquiry activities and cultivating innovative ability and scientific spirit, it has become one of the important goals of science education in the current reform of science education. \ x0d \ x0d \ The purpose of American national science education standards is to build a society with high scientific literacy in the United States. It is considered that good scientific literacy is an important aspect to understand the essence of science, and knowing science is a way to understand things. Its basic characteristics are taking evidence as the criterion, logic as the weapon of argument, and doubt as the starting point. Know what science is, what is not, what science can and cannot do, and how science works in culture [10]. Therefore, a clear understanding of the nature of science has become an important part of American students' science education. Compared with the teaching syllabus issued in the past, the newly issued Science Curriculum Standards for Compulsory Education and 200 1 Curriculum Standards for Physics, Chemistry and Biology in China have a prominent feature, both of which clearly put forward or infiltrated the education on the nature of science. For example, the science (7 ~ 9) curriculum standard clearly points out that science curriculum is based on the understanding of the nature of science, and students should be guided to understand the nature of science initially [1 1]. These facts show that in science education in primary and secondary schools, it has become the general trend of science education reform at home and abroad to let students understand the nature of science and make it an important goal of science education. \ x0d \ x0d \ In a word, The Essence of Science explains how scientific knowledge is produced and developed, and clarifies that science is not only a systematic knowledge system, but also a process of continuous development and self-correction, and any scientific knowledge is the result of people's scientific exploration; In the development of science, not only the relationship between natural phenomena, but also the relationship between man and nature and between man and society should be involved. Therefore, understanding the nature of science is of great value for establishing the guiding ideology, purpose, content and teaching methods of science education.