Science, Worldviews and Education (eBook)

Contents 5
Preface 6
Science, Worldviews and Education: An Introduction 9
1 Introduction 9
2 Debate About the Nature of Science (NOS) 12
3 Culture and Worldviews 13
4 Science and Worldviews 17
5 Nature of Science and Worldviews in Science Curricula 19
6 Contributions to this Volume 23
7 Conclusion 31
References 31
Author Biography 33
Science, Worldviews, and Education 35
1 Introduction 36
2 A Spectrum of Opinions 36
3 Stipulatory and Substantive Issues 39
4 Seven Pillars of Science 40
5 Scientific Method 41
6 The Testability of Worldviews 45
8 Necessary and Unnecessary Presuppositions 51
9 Conclusions 53
References 54
Teaching the Philosophical and Worldview Components of Science 57
1 Introduction 57
2 Science and Philosophy 61
3 Science and Metaphysics 64
4 Science and Worldviews 67
5 Worldviews and the Scientific Revolution 68
6 The Logic of Atomism 74
7 When Worldviews Collide: The Atomistic Heresy 75
8 The Survival of Scholasticism 78
9 Options for Reconciling Worldviews 80
10 Conclusion 82
References 83
Author Biography 88
Worldviews and their relation to science 89
1 Introduction 89
2 What is a worldview? 90
3 Gauch’s seven pillars of science 95
4 Do the pillars of science have any worldview content? 96
5 Criticism and the mode of scientific explanation as sources of worldview import 99
6 Worldviews and multiculturalism: some implications for science education 102
7 Conclusion 103
References 104
Contemporary Science and Worldview-Making 106
1 Introduction 107
2 The Compelling Part of Science 109
3 What’s within Reach? 111
4 Science’s Epistemic Arrow 112
5 Teleology, Now? 114
6 Competition between Worldviews 118
References 122
The Electromagnetic Conception of Nature at the Root of the Special and General Relativity Theories and its Revolutionary Meaning 124
1 Introduction: Conceptions of Nature 124
2 Electromagnetic Conception of Nature and Special Relativity 127
3 Einstein, Hilbert and the Origins of the General Relativity Theory 128
4 Einstein’s Cosmic Religion and Hilbert’s Worldview 132
5 Conclusions: Science Education and Worldviews 137
References 138
Imagining the World: The Significance of Religious Worldviews for Science Education 141
1 The Relationship between Science and Religion 142
2 Scientific and Religious Understandings of Biodiversity 144
3 March of the Penguins 145
4 And Tango Makes Three 148
5 Possible Ways Forward When Teaching School Science 150
References 152
Whose Science and Whose Religion? Reflections on the Relations between Scientific and Religious Worldviews 155
1 Introduction 156
2 Some Preliminaries on the Nature of Science 157
3 Five Questions 158
4 Conclusion 168
References 169
Can Science Test Supernatural Worldviews? 171
1 Major Scientific Institutions Claim That Science Cannot Test Supernatural Worldviews 172
2 Science Can Test Supernatural Claims: A Bayesian Perspective 173
3 Believing ‘‘On Faith’’ 183
4 NOMA Again 185
5 Natural Psychological Explanations for the Origin and Persistence of Supernatural Worldviews 186
6 Going Wherever the Evidence Leads 187
7 Science Does Not Presuppose Naturalism. Whether or Not the Supernatural Exists Is an Empirical Question 188
8 Implications and Challenges for Science Education 190
References 192
The Interplay of Scientific Activity, Worldviews and Value Outlooks 196
1 Introduction 196
2 ‘‘Scientific Activity,’’ ‘‘Worldviews,’’ ‘‘Value Outlooks’’ 197
3 The ‘‘Scientific’’ Worldview and the Values of Technological Progress 199
4 Costs of Privileging the Decontextualized Approach 208
5 Conclusion 214
References 216
Fall and Rise of Aristotelian Metaphysics in the Philosophy of Science 218
1 The Enlightenment Dismissal of Aristotelian Metaphysics, and its Neo-Aristotelian Opponents 218
2 Historical Reconsiderations of the Role of Aristotelianism in Science 220
3 The Scientific Revolution and Aristotelian Metaphysics 223
4 Hume, Positivism, and the Eclipse of Aristotelianism 231
5 Rebirth of Aristotelianism in the Philosophy of Science 235
References 238
Modern Science and Conservative Islam: An Uneasy Relationship 242
1 Introduction 242
2 Resisting Evolution 243
3 Creationism in Turkey 246
4 Varieties of Creationism 248
5 Partial Acceptance of Evolution 251
6 Created Nature 253
7 An Illusion of Harmony 255
8 Conclusion 258
References 258
Science and worldviews in the marxist tradition 261
1 Introduction 261
2 Science: Materialist Ontology, Realist Epistemology, Social Activity 263
3 The Theoretical Landscape of Marxism 264
4 Marx’s Encounter with Natural Philosophy and Materialism 266
5 Marx’s Science-Realism 267
6 Science as Social Activity: The Conceptual Autonomy of Science 269
7 Marxism among the Scientists. Implications for Science Education 270
References 272
Science and Worldviews in the Classroom: Joseph Priestley and Photosynthesis 274
1 Introduction 274
2 Some Appraisals of Priestley 276
3 Priestley’s Life 277
4 Priestley’s Publications 279
5 Priestley and the Enlightenment 279
6 The Philosophical and Experimental Path to Photosynthesis (‘The Restoration of Air’) 282
7 Priestley’s First Steps towards the Discovery of Photosynthesis 285
8 Priestley’s Final Steps Towards Photosynthesis 290
9 Priestley’s Providential Worldview 293
10 Priestley in the Classroom 296
11 Conclusion 300
References 301
Responses and Clarifications Regarding Science and Worldviews 306
1 Introduction 306
2 Worldview Reasoning 307
3 Worldview Evidence 310
4 Worldview Convictions 319
5 Additional Responses and Clarifications 322
6 Seven Questions for the AAAS and NAS 326
7 Conclusions 327
References 327
Author Index 329
Subject Index 336