The neutrality question: a necessary debate at science’s education. / "A questão da neutralidade: um debate necessário no ensino de ciências"

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2004

RESUMO

This present study is the result from a theoric research, of philosophical and educational nature, around the thesis of science’s neutrality explicitly denied by the National Curriculum Parameters, on the books regarding the Natural Sciences teaching. The document says insistently that the teaching of science must aid the reflection about the non-neutral character of science and its political and social implications, however it does not offer a clear position of the concept of neutrality. Our goal was identify the elements that must be part of a proper notion of neutrality, being one of the requested items that the denial of science’s neutrality does not imply any shape of relativism. One author that has been dedicating himself to this question is Hugh Lacey, whose works have been taken as basic references at all our reflections. The fundamental aspect of Lacey’s science’s philosophy is his approach of science’s rationality on values’ terms (cognitive values and social values), not in terms of rules, as it happens at the positivist tradition. To the epistemological process of selection of theories in terms with compromise of a key of exclusively cognitive values, Lacey sets the attribution of impartiality. The defense of impartiality does not stop the non-cognitive values (social) from having an essential role at the scientific practice. The presence of social values at science’s core can happen at the technological choices’ level – applied neutrality – and, in a more abstract way, named by Lacey ‘strategy level’ – cognitive neutrality. In the end, it is the strategy that will restrict the kind of theories that can be developed and investigated by modern science that, as a consequence, lacks cognitive neutrality. Such science is taught in schools as a single model, away from scientific rationality. Our conclusion is that a way to work with the theme of neutrality in a constructive way is to present it indirectly to the students, that is, showing and discussing other possible systems that explain Nature. In a really democratic society, it is important to praise the knowledge acquired by other alternative approaches.

ASSUNTO(S)

neutralidade parâmetros curriculares nacionais valores cognitivos cognitive values national curriculum parameters (brazil) ensino de ciências teaching of science neutrality

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