Science Making Us More Ignorant, Essay

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In other words, scientific realism says that science can find the truth about everything (Erickson, 2005, 58-60).

Conversely, if there is realism, there must follow anti-realism which, in science, means that there are certain unobservable, and therefore only speculative, claims about the universe. These speculations are not detectable within the construct of human understanding, ability to observe, or even to adequately define other than theoretically. For example, we can observe the function of quantum space, but not the reality (if there is such). We can observe the characteristics of the DNA molecule, but not the actual mechnism by which DNA actually works. By the very nature of our construct, then, even our instrumentation is biased to measure what we expect, not necessarily what is (Braver, 2007). Irrealism takes both these theories nd asks if the objects we study really exist -- or if it is the nature of the study to focus on what is observable to humans (Erickson, 58).

Constructivism is a theory of knowledge arguing that humans generate knowledge and meaning by way of experience.
In science, for instance, this implies epistemology and experimentation, not simply lecture and instructor-generated knowledge (Kim, 2005). Thus, in order to create reality, one must be able to not only view it (realism), but describe it with an adequate map or model.

REFERENCES

Braver, L. (2007). A Think of This World: A History of Continental Anti-Realism.

Chicago, IL.: Northwestern University Press.

Dacey, A. (2004, December). Is Science Making Us more Ignorant? Retrieved September

14, 2010, from Skeptical Inquirer: http://www.csicop.org/si/show/is_science_making_us_more_ignorant

Erickson, M. (2005). Science, Culture, and Society. Malden, MA: Polity Press.

Kim, S. (2005). The Effects of A Constructivist Teaching Approach. Asia Pacific

Educational Review, 6(1), 7-19.

Maitte, B. (2008). Science and Culture. Retrieved September 2010, from National

Academies Press: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12539&page=77

Rowlands, J. (2004, January 2010). Philosophy vs. Science. Retrieved September, from Rebirth of Reason: http://rebirthofreason.com/Articles/Rowlands/Philosophy_vs_Science.shtml.....

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