Truth and science education

ABSTRACT:

Sceptics, relativists and other deniers of truth do science a great injustice.

Timid science teachers – who fear the consequences if they lay claim to truth –

do the discipline of science a great wrong.

The root of the difficulty is a lack of understanding about the nature of science.

Constructivist theories of science, which are hegemonic in Western education,

inevitably undervalue science. Science disappears as another culture.

To penetrate the nature of science you must grapple with truth. This paper uses

Newton’s engagement with optics as an example to show what modern science

is in and of itself. It distinguishes modern science from other forms of enquiry

and suggests how the science curriculum might be reformed to restore modern

science to its rightful place in Western education.

A b r i e f a c c o u n t o f t h e p h i l o s o p h y o f s c i e n c e

T r u t h

T h e p h i l o s o p h y o f s c i e n c e

H e i d e g g e r ’ s t h e o r y

D i s c o v e r y a s t r u t h

T r u t h i n m o d e r n s c i e n c e

H e i d e g g e r ’ s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

N e w t o n

I m p l i c a t i o n s

P h i l o s o p h y o f s c i e n c e

S c i e n c e e d u c a t i o n

N e w Z e a l a n d t e a c h i n g r e s o u r c e

Today

T h r e e s c h o o l s o f t h o u g h t :

P o s i t i v i s t

C o n s t r u c t i v i s t

P h e n o m e no l ogi c a l

Philosophy of science

Heidegger’s concept of truth

Correspondence

Disclosure

T r u t h

T h e p h i l o s o p h y o f s c i e n c e

H e i d e g g e r ’ s t h e o r y

D i s c o v e r y a s t r u t h

T r u t h i n m o d e r n s c i e n c e

H e i d e g g e r ’ s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

N e w t o n

I m p l i c a t i o n s

P h i l o s o p h y o f s c i e n c e

S c i e n c e e d u c a t i o n

N e w Z e a l a n d t e a c h i n g r e s o u r c e

Today

Three characteristics of modern science

1 F r a m e w o r k / g r o u n d p l a nP r e - l o g i cP e r c e p t i o nM e a s u r a b l e o b j e c t sT h e R e a l

2 F o r c e n a t u r e t o r e v e a l m o r e o f i t s e l fF o l l o w p r o c e d u r e sE q u i p m e n tE v e n t o f t r u t hI n d i v i d u a lP e r c e p t i o n

3 C o n s e q u e n c e s o f d i s c l o s u r e sL i t e r a t u r eI n s t i t u t i o n sW o r k f o r c e

Newton’s optics

1 6 6 42 2 y e a r s - o l dT r i n i t y C o l l e g e

Q u e s t i o n e s q u æ d a m P h i l o s o p h i æC e r t a i n p h i l o s o p h i c a l q u e s t i o n s

A m i c u s P l a t o a m i c u s A r i s t o t e l e s m a g i s a m i c a v e r i t a sP l a t o a n d A r i s t o t l e a r e m y f r i e n d s , b u t t r u t h i s a b e t t e r f r i e n d

Newton’s opticsTruth as correspondence

1 6 9 2 1 7 0 4

1 6 6 7 F e l l o w a t T r i n i t y

C o l l e g e

1 6 6 6

1 6 6 6

1 6 7 2 R o y a l S o c i e t y

Newton’s opticsTruth as disclosure

T r u t h

T h e p h i l o s o p h y o f s c i e n c e

H e i d e g g e r ’ s t h e o r y

D i s c o v e r y a s t r u t h

T r u t h i n m o d e r n s c i e n c e

H e i d e g g e r ’ s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

N e w t o n

I m p l i c a t i o n s

P h i l o s o p h y o f s c i e n c e

S c i e n c e e d u c a t i o n

N e w Z e a l a n d t e a c h i n g r e s o u r c e

Today

P o s i t i v i s t s & c o n s t r u c t i v i s t s

R e l a t i v i s m

T e c h n o l o g y

P e r p e t u a t i o n o f s c i e n c e

B i o l o g yD N A / C o l d S p r i n g H a r b o r

M a n d e l b r o t ’ s f r a c t a l s

Implications- philosophy of science

T r u t h

D e m o n s t r a t i o n s E x p e r i m e n t s S i m u l a t i o n s

H y p o t h e s i s

M a t h e m a t i c a l m o d e l s

S c i e n t i f i c m e t h o d

C u r r i c u l u m s t r u c t u r e

S c i e n c e l i t e r a c y

N a t u r e o f s c i e n c e

Implications- science education

Truth and science education

THANK YOU

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