Editing Science (section)

=== Natural science ===
[[Natural science]] is the study of the physical world. It can be divided into two main branches: [[life science]] and [[physical science]]. These two branches may be further divided into more specialised disciplines. For example, physical science can be subdivided into physics, [[chemistry]], [[astronomy]], and [[earth science]]. Modern natural science is the successor to the [[natural philosophy]] that began in [[Ancient Greece]]. [[Galileo]], [[Descartes]], [[Francis Bacon|Bacon]], and [[Isaac Newton|Newton]] debated the benefits of using approaches that were more [[mathematical physics|mathematical]] and more experimental in a methodical way. Still, philosophical perspectives, [[conjecture]]s, and [[presupposition]]s, often overlooked, remain necessary in natural science.<ref>{{cite book |last=Gauch |first=Hugh G. Jr. |chapter=Science in perspective |title=Scientific Method in Practice |publisher=Cambridge University Press |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iVkugqNG9dAC&pg=PA71 |pages=21–73 |isbn=978-0-521-01708-4 |year=2003 |access-date=3 September 2018}}</ref> Systematic data collection, including [[discovery science]], succeeded [[natural history]], which emerged in the 16th century by describing and classifying plants, animals, minerals, and other biotic beings.<ref>{{cite book |last=Oglivie |first=Brian W. |year=2008 |chapter=Introduction |title=The Science of Describing: Natural History in Renaissance Europe |pages=1–24 |edition=Paperback |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-62088-6}}</ref> Today, "natural history" suggests observational descriptions aimed at popular audiences.<ref>{{cite dictionary |title=Natural History |url=http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=natural+history |dictionary=Princeton University WordNet |access-date=21 October 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303173506/http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=natural+history |archive-date=3 March 2012}}</ref>