The Nature of Scientific Revolutions from the Vantage Point of Chaos Theory
Tóm tắt
In sharp contrast to the early positivist view of the nature of science and scientific knowledge, Kuhn argues that the scientific enterprise involves states of continuous, gradual development punctuated by comparatively rare instances of turmoil and change, which ultimately brings about a new stability and a qualitatively changed knowledge base. Although this discontinuous or nonlinear view of scientific knowledge is shared by a number of philosophers of science and science educators currently, Kuhn’s description of how progress in science occurs has never been formally modeled from a nonlinear mathematical perspective. In this article, we represent aspects of Kuhn’s main thesis and ideas as stated in his classic work The Structure of Scientific Revolutions using catastrophe theory, which is a particular instantiation of chaos theory capable of describing discontinuous phenomenon. Through this catastrophe theory representation we attempt to depict and develop a formal nonlinear model of scientific change. The pedagogical implications of the model developed and presented are discussed.
Tài liệu tham khảo
Abd-El-Khalick F, Lederman N.G., Bell R.L., Schwartz, R.S. (2001). ‘Views of Nature of Science Questionnaire (VNOS): Toward Valid and Meaningful Assessment of Learners’ Conceptions of Nature of Science’. paper presented at the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science Annual Meeting, Costa Mesa, California
Allen B.D. (1994). ‘A Model of Frustration During Problem Solving’. paper presented at the New England Educational Research Organization Annual Meeting, Rockport, Maine
B.D. Allen J. Carifio (1995) ArticleTitle‘Nonlinear Analysis: Catastrophe Theory Modeling and Cobb’s Cusp Surface Analysis Program’ Evaluation Review 19 IssueID1 64–83
InstitutionalAuthorNameAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science. (1993) Project 2061: Benchmarks for Science Literacy Oxford University Press New York
D.P. Ausubel (1968) Educational Psychology: A Cognitive View Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc. New York
Baker G.L., Gollub J.P. (1990). Chaotic Dynamics: An Introduction, Cambridge University Press
B. Barber (1961) ArticleTitle‘Resistance by Scientists to Scientific Discovery’ Science 134 596–602 Occurrence Handle13686762
S. Boles (1990) ArticleTitle‘A Model of Routine and Creative Problem Solving’ Journal of Creative Behavior 24 IssueID3 171–189
J. Carifio M. Lanza (1995) ArticleTitle‘Empirical Findings on the External Validity of Patient Assault vignettes’ Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation. 5 265–276
L. Cobb (1978) ArticleTitle‘Stochastic Catastrophe Models and Multimodal Distributions’ Behavioral Science 23 360–374
L. Cobb (1981) ArticleTitle‘Parameter Estimation for the Cusp Catastrophe Model’ Behavioral Science 26 75–78
L. Cobb (1992) Cusp Surface Analysis User’s Guide Department of Community Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque, New Mexico
J.C. Cotham E.L. Smith (1981) ArticleTitle‘Development and Validation of the Conceptions of Scientific Theories Test’ Journal of Research in Science Teaching 18 IssueID5 387–396
R.L. Devaney J. Choate (2000) Chaos: A Tool Kit of Dynamics Activities Key Curriculum Press Emeryville, California
R. Driver (1983) The Pupil as Scientist Open University Press Bristol, Pennsylvania
Dujardin L. (2002). Catastrophe Theory: An Introduction for Experimentalists, retrieved January 8, 2003, from http://perso.wanadoo.fr/l.d.v.dujardin/ct/eng_index.html
R.A. Duschl (1994) ‘Research on the History and Philosophy of Science’ D. Gabel (Eds) Handbook of Research on Science Teaching and Learning. Simon & Schuster Macmillan New York 443–465
S. Fuller (2000) Thomas Kuhn: A Philosophical History of Our Times University of Chicago Press Chicago
R.N. Giere (1988) Exploring Science: A Cognitive Approach University of Chicago Press Chicago
J. Gleick (1987) Chaos: Making a New Science Springer-Verlag New York
P.D. Hurd (1998) ArticleTitle‘Scientific Literacy: New Minds for a Changing World’ Science Education 82 407–416 Occurrence Handle10.1002/(SICI)1098-237X(199806)82:3<407::AID-SCE6>3.0.CO;2-G
C.A. Isnard E.C. Zeeman (1977) ‘Some Models From Catastrophe Theory in the Social Sciences’ E.C. Zeeman (Eds) Catastrophe Theory: Selected Papers 1972–1977. Addison-Wesley Reading, Massachusetts 303–359
T.S. Kuhn (1977) The Essential Tension University of Chicago Press Chicago
T.S. Kuhn (1996) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (third edition) University of Chicago Press Chicago
T.S. Kuhn (2000) ‘What are Scientific Revolutions’? J. Conant J. Haugeland (Eds) The Road Since Structure. University of Chicago Press Chicago 13–32
I. Lakatos (1970) ‘Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programs’ I. Lakatos A. Musgrave (Eds) Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge. Cambridge University Press Cambridge 91–196
L. Laudan (1977) Progress and its Problems: Toward a Theory of Scientific Growth University of California Press Berkeley
N.G. Lederman (1992) ArticleTitle‘Students’ and Teachers’ Conceptions of the Nature of Science: A Review of the Research’ Journal of Research in Science Teaching 29 IssueID4 331–359
N.G. Lederman D.L. Zeidler (1987) ArticleTitle‘Science Teachers’ Conception of the Nature of Science: Do They Really Influence Teaching Behavior?’ Science Education 71 IssueID5 721–734
A. Lightman O. Gingerich (1991) ArticleTitle‘When Do Anomalies Begin?’ Science 255 690–695
E.N. Lorenz (1963) ArticleTitle‘Deterministic Nonperiodic Flow’ Journal of Atmospheric Science 20 130–141 Occurrence Handle10.1175/1520-0469(1963)020<0130:DNF>2.0.CO;2
M. Masterman (1970) ‘The Nature of a Paradigm’ I. Lakatos A Musgrave (Eds) Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge. Cambridge University Press Cambridge 59–90
D.C. McClelland (1961) The Achieving Society Von Nostrand Princeton, New Jersey
R.K. Merton (1996) ‘The Reward System of Science’ P. Sztompka (Eds) On Social Structure and Science. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Press Chicago 286–304
J. Nash (1950) ArticleTitle‘Equilibrium Points in n-person Games’ Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 36 48–49
J. Nash (1951) ArticleTitle‘Non-cooperative Games’ Annals of Mathematics 54 286–295
InstitutionalAuthorNameNational Academy of Sciences. (1998) Teaching Evolution and the Nature of Science Academic Press Washington, D.C
InstitutionalAuthorNameNational Research Council. (1996) National Science Education Standards Academic Press Washington, D.C
InstitutionalAuthorNameNational Science Teachers Association. (1998) Standards for Science Teacher Preparation Academic Press Washington, D.C
S.P. Norris (1984) ArticleTitle‘Defining Observational Competence’ Science Education 68 IssueID2 129–142
H.R. Pagels (1989) The Dreams of Reason: The Computer and the Rise of the Science of Complexity Bantam New York
Perla R.J., Carifio J. (2004). ‘A Catastrophe Theory Model of Scientific Change: A Biology Classroom Application’. paper presented at the Eastern Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Clearwater Beach, Florida
Perry W.G. (1970). Forms of Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years: A Scheme, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc
Piaget J., Inhelder B. (1969). The Psychology of the Child, Basic Books
M. Planck (1968) Scientific Autobiography and Other Papers Greenwood Press New York
K.R. Popper (1970) ‘Normal Science and its Dangers’ I. Lakatos A Musgrave (Eds) Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge. Cambridge University Press Cambridge 51–59
G.J. Posner K.A. Strike P.W. Hewson W.A. Gertzog (1982) ArticleTitle‘Accommodation of a Scientific Conception: Toward a Theory of Conceptual Change’ Science Education 66 IssueID2 211–227
D.G. Saari (1977) ArticleTitle‘A Qualitative Model for the Dynamics of Cognitive Processes’ Journal of Mathematical Psychology 15 145–168 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0022-2496(77)90027-X
Z. Sardar (2000) Thomas Kuhn and the Science Wars Totem Books New York
J.J. Schwab (1962) ‘The Teaching of Science as Enquiry’ J.J. Schwab P.F. Brandwein (Eds) The Teaching of Science. Harvard University Press Cambridge 3–103
M. Shermer (2001) The Borderlands of Science: Where Sense Meets Nonsense Oxford University Press New York
M.U. Smith L.C. Scharmann (1999) ArticleTitle‘Defining Versus Describing the Nature of Science: A Pragmatic Analysis for Classroom Teachers and Science Educators’ Science Education 83 493–509 Occurrence Handle10.1002/(SICI)1098-237X(199907)83:4<493::AID-SCE6>3.0.CO;2-U
I.N. Stewart P.L. Peregoy (1983) ArticleTitle‘Catastrophe Theory Modeling in Psychology’ Psychological Bulletin 94 IssueID2 336–362 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0033-2909.94.2.336
F.J. Sulloway (1996) Born to Rebel: Birth Order, Family Dynamics, and Creative Lives Vintage Books New York
R. Thom (1975) Structural Stability and Morphogenesis, D.H. Fowler (trans). Benjamin Press Reading, MA
Toulmin S. (1953). The Philosophy of Science. Hutchinson & Co., London
S. Turner K. Sullenger (1999) ArticleTitle‘Kuhn in the Classroom, Lakatos in the Lab: Science Educators Confront the Nature-of-Science Debate’ Science, Technology, & Human Values. 24 IssueID1 5–30
E. Von Glasersfeld (2001) ArticleTitle‘The Radical Constructivist View of Science’ Foundations of Science 6 31–43 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1011345023932
J. Von Neumann O. Morgenstern (1953) Theory of Games and Economic Behavior Princeton University Press Princeton, New Jersey
P.A. Wagner (1983) ArticleTitle‘The Nature of Paradigm Shifts and the Goals of Science Education’ Science Education 67 IssueID5 605–613
L.A. Zadeh (1965) ArticleTitle‘Fuzzy Sets’ Information and Control 8 338–353 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0019-9958(65)90241-X
E.C. Zeeman (1976) ArticleTitle‘Catastrophe Theory’ Scientific American 234 IssueID4 65–83
E.C. Zeeman (1977) Catastrophe Theory: Selected Papers, 1972–1977 Addison-Wesley Reading, MA
Zeeman E.C. (1995). ‘Catastrophe Theory’. Lecture notes from presentation at Trinity University, San Antonio, TX, March, retrieved January 8, 2003, from http://applied.math.utsa. edu/gokhman/ecz/c.html