Science, Hard and Soft

Definition: As used herein, Science refers to "the systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe." "Modern science is typically divided into three major branches that consist of the natural sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry, and physics), which study nature in the broadest sense; the social sciences (e.g., economics, psychology, and sociology), which study individuals and societies; and the formal sciences (e.g., logic, mathematics, and theoretical computer science), which study abstract concepts." As used herein, Hard Science and Soft Science refer to the "colloquial terms used to compare scientific fields on the basis of perceived methodological rigor, exactitude, and objectivity. Roughly speaking, the natural sciences (e.g. physics, biology, astronomy) are considered 'hard,' whereas the social sciences (e.g. psychology, sociology, political science) are usually described as 'soft.'" The above definition is an adaptation of the Wikipedia articles, Science and Hard and soft science.