I. The Significant Role of Youth Science and Education in the Popularization of Scientific Knowledge

(1) Enhance the understanding of the essence of scientific knowledge and avoid the simplicity and superficiality of science teaching

Scientific knowledge relies on evidence and is constantly revised under new evidence

Scientific knowledge requires evidence for determination, and the evidence for scientific knowledge comes from the natural environment or laboratories. To obtain evidence, scientists not only rely on physical senses but also create and utilize instruments to enhance discrimination, in order to broaden the field of human observation, discover natural characteristics that human beings' own discrimination cannot yet discover, and obtain more abundant evidence. From Galileo's discovery of the law of free fall to Newton's proposal of the law of universal gravitation, and then to Einstein's theory of relativity, scientists in every period have focused their attention on collecting accurate evidence.

Even if a scientific principle has been repeatedly verified, it still needs to be constantly tested. New evidence often challenges popular theories. Take the development of Newtonian physics from its glory to the discovery of its limitations as an example. In 1687, Newton published the book "Philosophical Principles of the Natural Sciences", which he had studied for 20 years. In the book, Newton started from some fundamental concepts and several laws of motion, which enabled people to have an unprecedented expansion and unification of their understanding of nature. Especially in 1846, astronomers applied Newton's theory of mechanics to calculate the orbit of Neptune. This achievement was hailed as "discovering a planet without even looking up at the sky", further confirming the objectivity of Newton's theory. At that time, the scientific community accepted Newtonian physics as the ultimate absolute truth. But at the end of the 19th century, more than 200 years later, new experimental results that could not be explained by Newtonian physics emerged. Ultimately, Newton's laws are included in the theory of relativity as approximate laws of Einstein's special theory of relativity under macroscopic and low-speed conditions.

Throughout the history of human understanding of the universe, from the geocentric theory to the heliocentric theory, and then to the theory that the universe is not centered; From the unification of all mechanical motion laws in the universe by classical mechanics theory, to the unification of the motion laws of electricity, magnetism and light by electromagnetic field theory, and then to the unification of all natural forces in the universe by the four kinds of interactions; From the absolute view of space-time to the special relativistic view of space-time, and then to the general relativistic view of space-time geometrization; From mechanical determinism and causality in classical physics to probabilistic description and statistical causality in quantum mechanics... The renewal of scientific knowledge records the history of the development of human understanding of the objective world.

2. Scientific theories are explanations of natural phenomena and predictions of unobserved phenomena

Science aims to explain natural phenomena. The pursuit of scientific explanations for natural phenomena has inspired generation after generation of scientists to explore nature. Take the study of the center of the universe as an example. Ancient Greek scientists, by observing that all celestial bodies rose in the east and set in the west, believed that the Earth was the center of the universe. However, the geocentric theory could not explain the retrograde motion of Mars. Copernicus proposed that the sun is the center of the universe and all celestial bodies move in a circular motion around it, which explained the retrograde motion of Mars, but still could not account for all observed phenomena. Newton's law of universal gravitation successfully explained the planetary movement rules obtained by Kepler through summarizing observational facts, supporting the heliocentric theory with more fundamental and profound scientific laws. With the improvement of observation technology and level, the current speculation of human beings about the center of the universe is that there is no center in the universe.

The concepts, laws, formulas and rules in science teaching content are merely manifestations of the conclusions of scientific knowledge. By considering these teaching contents from the essence of scientific knowledge, scientific knowledge is combined with human activities of exploring nature, and the educational value of scientific knowledge becomes prominent.

(2) Enhance the understanding of the essence of scientific exploration and avoid the falsehood and rigidity of scientific inquiry

There is no unchanging fixed pattern in scientific exploration

Scientific exploration is a process by which humans understand the world. There is no simple and unchanging step in the world for scientists to follow, and no path can ensure that scientists are correctly guided to acquire scientific knowledge. However, scientific exploration has prominent features in relying on evidence, utilizing hypotheses and theories, and applying logical reasoning, which support the inheritance of human scientific undertakings and the development of society.

In science teaching, teachers usually adopt a standardized inquiry model to guide students to raise questions, make hypotheses, design experimental plans, and eventually exchange and present them. This paradigm can indeed allow students to experience the general process of scientific exploration, but scientific exploration is by no means a rigid procedure. Students' mastery of the skills of scientific inquiry does not mean they understand the spirit of scientific exploration, nor does it necessarily enable them to think like scientists. Science teachers need to constantly deepen their understanding of the essence of scientific exploration. In teaching, they should help students feel and experience the process of scientific exploration by reviewing history or designing student activities, avoiding the situation where they think they are leading students to experience the process of scientific exploration, only to end up spreading non-scientific or even pseudoscience.

2. Scientific exploration is a combination of logic and imagination

As early as 300 BC, the Greek mathematician Euclid, starting from some definitions and axioms, established a rigorous logical system through deductive methods. Since then, based on the formal logic system invented by Greek philosophers and the method of finding the causal relationship of natural phenomena through experiments applied by Galileo during the Renaissance, scientists have been promoting the development of science following this "logic of discovery". However, in the history of scientific development, scientific creation has also played an important role. Some scientific discoveries rely on proposing hypotheses and inventing theories to imagine how the world operates, and then solving the problem of how to test the hypotheses and theories. In science teaching, teachers should take into account the two logics of "discovery" and "creation", and avoid neglecting the latter, which may cause students to view science as merely a "edifice" composed of logical thinking and empirical methods, and unable to obtain it through other non-logical ways of thinking.

Einstein's proposal of the general theory of relativity is the best evidence. In 1915, Einstein proposed the theory of generalized relativity and three corollaries that could be experimentally verified. In 1919, astronomers observed the anomalic precession of Mercury's perihelion, confirming Einstein's theoretical prediction. To this day, the discovery of gravitational waves and the acquisition of visual evidence of black holes are still verifying the predictions of general relativity. Therefore, general relativity is also hailed as "one of the greatest achievements in the history of human thought". Regarding the question "Would the theory of relativity have been discovered without Einstein?", Einstein himself once stated that if he had not proposed the special theory of relativity, another physicist would have put it forward within five years. But no one will discover general relativity within 50 years.

From the exploration process of Einstein's proposal of the general theory of relativity, we can reflect on the essence of scientific exploration: The process of scientific exploration is not only a combination of logical thinking and empirical methods, but also non-logical ways of thinking such as reasonable assumptions, intuitive thinking, and bold imagination play an important role in scientific discovery. The process of scientific development is one of exploration by comprehensively applying various ways of thinking.

Ii. The Significance of Youth Science and Education in Technical Education

Science education plays a significant role in technical education. Without the support of science education, technical education is prone to deviate from its educational goals, becoming a single vocational skills education or an education for only a few people. The value of science education in technical education is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

(1) Science education is conducive to the mastery of the knowledge-based goals of technical education

The knowledge-based goals that technical education aims to achieve are comprehensive and integrated. This requires technical education to integrate knowledge from other fields, and science education plays a fundamental role in this process. At the same time, science education also expands the research field of technical education. In specific technical education, through the study of relevant scientific knowledge, it is easier to understand and master the knowledge contained in the technology, grasp the intrinsic logical connections among knowledge, and also easier to apply newly learned concepts, principles and methods to new problem situations, establishing reasonable connections in different situations.

(2) Science education is conducive to the realization of the skill-oriented goals of technical education

Technical design and technical experimentation are important foothends for the skill-based goals in technical education. A good design must follow scientific principles. In technical experiments, a great deal of scientific knowledge is needed as a foundation. The basic abilities such as observation, classification, measurement, evaluation and reasoning included in the scientific process ability, as well as the comprehensive abilities such as clarifying problems, controlling variables, making hypotheses, conducting experiments and graphical explanations, are conducive to the realization of the skill-based goals in technical education.

(3) Science education is conducive to the cultivation of emotional goals in technical education

The technical course takes technical design as its main content. While emphasizing basic knowledge and skills, it also stresses the development of students' emotional attitudes, values and common abilities. Integrating science education into technical education can develop individuals and realize their life values. In addition, technical education is based on scientific principles, which makes people hold a sense of awe towards technology and prevent them from going astray when using it. For instance, in the process of technical education, humans can modify tools based on scientific principles, thereby gaining a sense of achievement. Humans have restrictions on the use of certain technologies based on scientific facts and reasoning, and they take reasonable protective and restrictive measures. Some cutting-edge modern technologies, such as nuclear technology, genetic technology and artificial intelligence technology, all require people to have correct values and a sense of crisis when using them.

Iii. Four Dimensions of Youth Science and Education Value Orientation

(1) Liberal Arts orientation

"Liberal arts" as the first dimension of the value of science education, its connotation refers to the fact that the person cultivated by science education is a "free person" who pursues truth. Such people take scientific research itself as their ultimate life pursuit and have no utilitarian intentions towards it. In "The Social Function of Science", Bernard summarized two completely different views of science: the idealistic view of science and the realistic view of science. From the first perspective, science is merely related to the discovery of truth and the pursuit of pure truth; Its function lies in establishing a world image that is consistent with empirical facts. The second viewpoint holds that utilitarianism is the most important thing. Truth seems to be a means of useful action, and can only be tested by such useful action. The scientific education values with a liberal arts orientation are essentially equivalent to the first scientific view and represent an idealistic pursuit of scientific education values. This pursuit of value regards science as an exploratory activity in pursuit of truth, enjoying the pleasure of discovery, the passion of creation and the joy of innovation in the process of dialogue with the unknown world.

The value orientation of "liberal arts" in science education aims to cultivate "free people" who can pursue truth as their goal and take science as their vocation through the means of science education. Here, "vocation" borrows the term from Max Weber's speech "Scholarship as a Vocation". Although there is only a one-character difference between a vocation and a career, their connotations are quite distinct. A career is merely a tool for a person to make a living, or a means to earn income with one's educational diploma and expertise. From the perspective of science education, it is to use receiving science education as an intermediary to seek employment. A career, on the other hand, implies a person's deep love and loyalty to the science they pursue from the bottom of their heart. Such individuals receive scientific education to better understand the spirit of science and to better devote themselves to it. However, this orientation is not an elitist scientific education value system; it is merely aimed at cultivating scientists. Specifically, it covers two aspects: scientists and those who internalize the scientific spirit as a principle of life. In real life, not every individual has the opportunity or ability to take "science as their career". However, does that mean those who are not scientists are not "free people"? The answer is definitely no. Even if a person cannot engage in scientific research, if he can internalize the scientific spirit into his life in real life and achieve the unity of "character and life, moral pursuit and work, and the meaning of life and career", he can still be called a "free person". A person with a "liberal arts" spirit is broader than the limitations of their major in terms of knowledge and can engage in their career with the spirit of a "vocation" in life. What is truly carried out in science education with a liberal arts orientation is not so much the implementation process of a science course as it is a process of self-cultivation that enables a person to receive mental training. Scientific cognitive activities aimed at seeking truth are conducive to forming people's awareness of seeking truth. The truth-seeking activities in the field of science can be internalized as a life attitude of seeking truth and manifested in non-scientific fields, forming a moral character of sincerity. Scientific cognitive activities based on a rational attitude towards pursuing truth are not only the most effective bridge for cultivating future scientists, but also focusing on the process of seeking truth can enable an ordinary educated person to develop a sense of seeking truth and a sincere personality. A sincere character, in a moral sense, is an excellent virtue.

(II) Livelihood Orientation

Livelihood orientation, as a dimension of the value of science education, refers to an individual's view of receiving science education and studying science courses as a tool for job hunting and salary pursuit. In short, the knowledge, methods, and skills acquired through science education are used to prepare for obtaining diplomas and making a living. However, making a living as one dimension of the value of science education does not equate science education with vocational education. Instead, it means that when the educated understand the value of science education, they place more emphasis on the function of science education in seeking future careers and preparing for life. Therefore, making a living as a value orientation in scientific education essentially reflects a pragmatic value system. This attitude and position place more emphasis on the changes that receiving scientific education can bring to real life. The value concept of scientific education that prefers to make a living reflects an individual's inner pursuit of hoping that scientific education can change and enhance the quality of life.

Natural science, confined by its roots in the tradition of craftsmanship, has been closely linked to technology and skills since its inception, in contrast to humanities courses. It is precisely for this reason that the idea of "mastering mathematics, physics and chemistry and traveling the world" has further strengthened the "livelihood" value orientation contained in science education. Nowadays, science and technology have permeated every aspect of life. "Today's industry is no longer merely based on the relatively rough procedures passed down through habit and based on experience." Understanding and applying science have become the basic qualities of a modern person. Therefore, there is a reasonable and realistic basis for seeking a "livelihood" through science education. This also requires that modern school science education should not merely focus on cultivating scientists and people who pursue truth. Science education must also be adjusted in various aspects such as teaching content, teaching methods, and teaching materials, paying attention to students' ability to connect theory with practice and apply what they have learned, and taking into account students' future livelihood needs. Life is not just about work and career. Today's environmental pollution problems, ecological issues, food safety problems and various other problems are all testing students' ability to apply science to solve practical problems. Just as Dewey said: "Dealing with issues such as mental illness, alcoholism, poverty, public health, urban planning..." Advanced methods that do not undermine individual initiative and other complex issues all indicate that many important social problems directly rely on the methods and achievements of natural science. The scientific education value concept oriented towards "seeking a livelihood" is essentially regarded as an educational purpose view that "education prepares for life". Compared with the liberal arts orientation, if the science education of the liberal arts orientation pursues a noble personality that pursues truth, then the science education of the livelihood orientation reflects the secular mentality of an ordinary person to improve the quality of life. The value concept of science education oriented towards "livelihood" should not only not be criticized but also be valued. Because when schools start to pay attention to the value of the "livelihood" aspect of science education, it precisely indicates that the degree of "democracy" in schools has improved.

After all, only a few people can take science as their calling. The majority of people learn science education to live a better life through the power of science. One may not take "science as a vocation", but he cannot fail to understand the free spirit of science as an activity in pursuit of truth. "As ordinary people, once we understand this, we will truly possess a scientific spirit, and social justice will be easily achieved."

(3) Political Orientation

The political and economic values of science education both represent an educational value orientation of "social-oriented theory". The value orientation of "social-oriented theory" in scientific education, when dealing with the relationship between individuals and society, focuses on the value and function of scientific education to the community of society (the state). In different historical periods, the "social-oriented theory" has manifested differently in handling the relationship between individuals and society, that is, there exists a certain degree of opposition between individuals and society, only the degree of opposition varies.

The political value of science education mainly encompasses two aspects of meaning: On the one hand, the political value of science education refers to the value of its political orientation for the individuals it cultivates, including the shaping and influence on an individual's political outlook and values. On the other hand, the political value of science education reflects the political function of science. For instance, science serves the national defense construction and political security of a country. However, the realization of the value of science also depends on its subject - human beings. Therefore, in the second sense, the political value of science education is to realize the political value of science. This is contrary to the value pursuit of science education with a "liberal arts" orientation, because at this point, scientists no longer serve their ultimate employer - "free science", and their employer becomes the state.

The reason why science education has political orientation value lies in the fact that the content of science courses themselves is a kind of official knowledge. The scientific knowledge disseminated by "science education" is not an objective, unbiased, or value-neutral truth. There is also a "political motive" behind "science education". Science, as a subject in schools, is the product of the "disciplinization" and "schoolization" of scientific knowledge. In the era of knowledge economy, due to the limitations of science courses in schools, it is difficult to impart all the overall human understanding of nature to students within their years of education. Therefore, science education itself is the result of the screening, reorganization and reprocessing of human scientific knowledge. It can be said that science courses, as the products of the disciplinization of natural sciences, are themselves knowledge systems purposefully selected and organized by the state and society. Although this knowledge system encompasses the scientific concepts, laws and conclusions accumulated by scientists in different historical periods, it is ultimately only a "summary" rather than the whole picture. Therefore, the science curriculum itself represents the mainstream ideology and values of a certain period and society

The concept implies the power, class, stratum and interests of society. However, science courses are different from other humanities and social science courses. Their content is empirical scientific knowledge. Although this kind of knowledge has a certain degree of objectivity, it also reflects certain cultural and political characteristics. Although it cannot alter the content and laws of science, it can influence and shape people's views on science and the world. As an integral part of the school curriculum system, science courses play a significant and unique socialized role in moral education, the infiltration of social value norms, and the maintenance of social order and harmony. The drawbacks of the selective nature of school science are equally obvious. It cannot truly and comprehensively present the history of the development of science itself because it shields out those fallacies that have a significant promoting effect on science. This is bound to give students the illusion that "science is an unambiguous truth", and thus they cannot fully and correctly understand the complexity and multi-faceted nature of science itself. On the surface, science education imparts students with some mathematical formulas, scientific laws and theories. However, behind these knowledge and theories lies a certain worldview and values.

(4) Economic Orientation

The theoretical basis for the economic value of science education lies in the economic function of science and the demand for scientific and technological talents in the era of knowledge economy. The economic value of science itself mainly refers to the transformation of science and technology into real productive forces, creating more tools that can enhance production efficiency, and thus bringing about economic value. Today, it has become a well-deserved and undisputed social consensus to apply science and science education to promote economic progress. The development of science education to enhance a country's economic strength is for two reasons: First, it is due to the economic value of science itself. Science is operated by those engaged in scientific undertakings, and the cultivation of such people undoubtedly comes from science education. Second, those who receive scientific education can enhance their professional qualities in their work, which is conducive to improving work efficiency and thereby boosting economic levels. It is precisely because of the significant promoting effect of science and technology on the economy that comprehensively supporting the development of science and technology and formulating policies that can guarantee the development of science and technology and education have become a common trend in today's world. For instance, the "Science - The Endless Frontier" report formulated by the United States in the later stage of World War II and the "High Frontier" plan for "Star Wars" proposed in 1981 both have the fundamental idea that the independence and competitiveness of the United States in the world market depend on its originality in science and technology.

In "The Social Function of Science", Bernard stated: "The history of industrial development shows that it is carried out in the direction of production efficiency, and thus in the direction of increasing profits." The three major technological changes brought about by the application of science are: the continuous improvement of production automation, the better utilization of raw materials due to the elimination of waste, and the saving of investment costs due to the accelerated turnover. Therefore, as the degree of integration of science, technology and society becomes increasingly high, the position of science in a country and society is becoming more and more important, because no country would resist the temptation of economic growth. Secondly, the theoretical basis for the economic value of science education also lies in its ability to cultivate high-quality, highly skilled and creative outstanding talents. These talents, as a form of human capital, are particularly important in the knowledge economy era where "innovation ability" is a competition. With the continuous extension of science and technology into the political, national defense and economic fields, science and technology are building a brand-new society and a new era. If we were to summarize and express the connotation of this era, it could be called the information age, knowledge economy, globalization, post-industry, and so on. In the new knowledge society, economic development relies more on the production, dissemination and application of knowledge centered on high and new technologies. Talents have become the most important competitive resource in the era of knowledge society and knowledge economy. Innovative talents have become the focus of competition among countries and enterprises. The cultivation of talents relies on education. Cultivating innovative talents and thereby promoting economic development has become one of the most important cultural missions of scientific education in the era of knowledge economy, and it is also the most sufficient reason why education has economic value. No economic system in the world is willing to pay scientists just for their entertainment. Therefore, the state pays a high amount of research funds, fundamentally speaking, to obtain returns. These returns include not only the innovative achievements of scientists and technological innovations, but also the improvement of the economy is a very important aspect. The reason why science has survived on its modern scale ultimately lies in the positive value it holds for its funders. "People view science and pay it based on its contribution to enhancing product value and reducing costs." To learn a talent, one must receive education and become an apprentice, and the tuition fees are not small. The capital thus expended seems to have been realized and fixed on the learners. These talents are naturally part of an individual's property and also part of the property of the society to which he belongs. Therefore, receiving scientific education is an investment, not only for the individual recipients but also for the entire society and the country. Although the economic value of this investment may not show immediate results in the short term, in the long run, the returns obtained from the investment far exceed simple economic growth. Education is an investment in the future. Educational investment is an economic and political investment that can generate long-term benefits and returns, and it is a kind of social investment.