The nature of science The nature of science & science education& science education

Our agendaOur agenda

What is science?What is science?Traditional answersTraditional answersMore recent answerMore recent answer

““Modern science” Modern science”

TruthTruth

RealityReality

NewtonNewton

Characteristics of modern scienceCharacteristics of modern science

Implications for science teachersImplications for science teachers

Astronomy AotearoaAstronomy AotearoaInterprets Interprets Science in the New Zealand CurriculumScience in the New Zealand Curriculum

Years 9 to 11Years 9 to 11

Three resourcesThree resourcesTextbookTextbookWorkbook Workbook WebsiteWebsite

What is science?What is science?

Traditional answersTraditional answers

Received viewReceived view- ““Positivist science”Positivist science”- TheoryTheory- Mirror of realityMirror of reality

AlternativesAlternatives- Human beingHuman being

- Without truthWithout truth- With truthWith truth

Traditional answersTraditional answers

Received viewReceived view- ““Positivist science”Positivist science”- TheoryTheory- Mirror of realityMirror of reality

AlternativesAlternatives- Human beingHuman being

- Without truth – constructivist accountsWithout truth – constructivist accounts- With truth – With truth – Hermeneutic philosophy of scienceHermeneutic philosophy of science

Hermeneutic philosophy of Hermeneutic philosophy of sciencescience

Galileo 1610Galileo 1610Newton 1666Newton 1666Kant 1782Kant 1782Heidegger 1927Heidegger 1927Heelan 1983Heelan 1983

HermeneuticsHermeneutics

= Interpretation= Interpretation

TraditionalTraditionalWritten textsWritten textsBible, law, literatureBible, law, literature

ModernModernVerbal, non-verbalVerbal, non-verbal

Modern scienceModern science

PhysicsPhysicsParadigm for scienceParadigm for sciencePhysicists’ viewPhysicists’ viewPhilosophers’ viewPhilosophers’ view

No progressionNo progressionGreek science Greek science Medieval scienceMedieval scienceModern scienceModern science

Immanuel KantImmanuel Kant

1724-18041724-1804

Prussian city of Prussian city of KönigsbergKönigsberg

Philosophy of modern Philosophy of modern sciencescience

Martin Heidegger1889-1976

South - West Germany

1909 Jesuit novice

1927 Being & Time

Heidegger is controversial

1933 Hitler, Chancellor of Germany

1933 Heidegger elected rector of Freiburg University & joins NSDAP

What is truth?What is truth?

HeideggerHeidegger

Two notionsTwo notions

CorrespondenceCorrespondence

DisclosureDisclosure

CorrespondenceCorrespondence

That is true / correct!That is true / correct!

Identity-similarity-equalityIdentity-similarity-equality

Truth in schoolTruth in schoolDisciplinesDisciplinesExamsExamsSchool rulesSchool rules

DisclosureDisclosureInsightInsight

Totality of a situationTotality of a situation

Moment of abidance – “in the truth”Moment of abidance – “in the truth”

I am hereI am here

This I knowThis I know

Newton &Newton &Modern OpticsModern Optics

Newton & truthNewton & truth

1664, 22 years-old

Trinity College

Questiones quædam Philosophiæ(Certain philosophical questions)

Amicus Plato amicus Aristoteles magis amica veritas(Plato and Aristotle are my friends, but truth is a better friend)

Newton’s opticsNewton’s optics

16661666Where is truth?Where is truth?

The correspondence theory of truth at work.

All human beings may access the truth.

Heidegger’s characteristics of Heidegger’s characteristics of modern sciencemodern science

Ground-planGround-planPre-logicPre-logicMeasurable “Objects”Measurable “Objects”PerceptionPerceptionExpect the RealExpect the Real

Force revelationsForce revelationsFollow proceduresFollow proceduresTruth as correspondenceTruth as correspondenceTruth as disclosures of the RealTruth as disclosures of the Real

InstitutionsInstitutionsConsequence of disclosuresConsequence of disclosures

Science EducationScience Education

AimAim

To have students experience disclosed truth

To teach students to force reality to reveal itself

MethodMethod

Preparations that involve truth as correspondence

Student demonstrations, not experiments

Science EducationScience Education

ConsequencesConsequences

Students genuinely abide with modern science (science is not a matter of culture or opinion)

All human beings stand equal in relation to their ability to experience disclosed truth

Science EducationScience Education

And societyAnd society

Disclosed truth in art, music, technology

Foil to modernity

Truth as correspondence dominates our age

Disclosed truth endures with humanity

Science EducationScience Education

Science teachersScience teachers

Enable students to experience truth

Essential for the perpetuation of science

Science EducationScience Education

Curriculum implicationsCurriculum implications

Curriculum structure

Identify truths of disclosure

Ensure experiences

Indicate why standards and procedures (truth as correspondence) are important

Science teaching with the Science teaching with the correspondence theory of correspondence theory of

truthtruth