EDSA700

Unit 4
Scientific rationalism / critical rationalism and its influence on
the development of critical thinking (John Locke, Karl Popper,
Carl Sagan): Challenging knowledge that must be founded on
empirical evidence
Empiricism

• Fact seeking; analytical approach - to all human endeavour including education (fact and analysis)
• Facts can proven by experience and can be precisely defined and measured (knowledge must be based
on fact – it has the effect of encouraging critical thinking)
• Experience-ism (experienced through senses – concrete experience
• Practical view (all must be known and proven)
• It assumes that children are blank slates (tabula rasa). Therefore adults are central to development of
knowledge e.g.Vygostky
• It assumes that all humans can pursue truth (by seeking proof and evidence)

• Social interaction is important but adults are the key to knowledge development through knowledge and
experience
• Knowledge is based on truth and facts and that which can be proven
• It seems more suitable for the sciences and mathematical subjects
Two categories of truth/fact 1) by definition e.g. 2+2=4
2) by proof e.g. air temperature (measure the temperature)
What was empiricism reacting to and how does it translate to today?

• Empiricism emerged after the Middle Ages (during the Middle Ages the most significant areas of
human thought was based in human understanding of the individual in relation to a superior being.
• Empiricism arose to challenge the religious beliefs and the focus turned to science (which could be
proven)

In philosophy and education debate has raged about views about knowledge.
If one follows early ideas of empiricism, it is suggested that sciences and mathematics are ‘real’
subjects because their knowledge can be proven.

That places other subjects that do not have the proof in clear detail as, ‘not real’ subjects because
their knowledge is cannot be as clear-cut.
Preparing to think critically

John Locke (British philosopher: 1632 – 1704) agreed with the basic outline of empiricism.

Richard Peters (English philosopher: 1919 – 2011) added that a child should be taught to think
critically to prevent indoctrination of false truths. (i.e. think rational, logically and critically)

__________________________________________________________________________

Yusuf Waghid (SA philosopher) asks if schooling and education are the same thing?

Harvey Siegel (US philosopher) proposes that a teacher is responsible for empowering a learner to
be rational and to base decisions on empirical thinking (i.e. fact not opinion)
If we uphold the strong empiricist views of education ……

Testing is a strong feature of the education system e.g. OBE

But what of emotions, values, culture, ………?

These cannot be reduced to rationality, therefore, ………………..

The system becomes imbalanced.

Mathematics and sciences continue to be upheld as important. They are…… but what of the humanities
subjects?

Let’s see if there another philosophical approach that can offer a counter-balance to empiricism.
How does scientific rationalism ‘test’ truth?

This is an attitude rather than a full philosophy

It is about having an open mind
It promotes questioning and critical engagement
It encourages relationship of ideas to what has been experienced (senses)
It values participatory approaches to teaching and learning in order to solve problems
The contributions and opinions of the individual are welcome
It rejects dogma* and authoritarian structures that attempt to control the individual
It supports the notion of disproving falsity and it seeks to critically question what truth is
It prefers to test convictions (e.g. social norms and practices, religious beliefs)
It is willing to view knowledge as dynamic
How does scientific rationalism ‘test’ truth?
It promotes the use of questioning and discussion
It asks for evidence
It encourages a questioning attitude. It requires the learner to question the source of information.
It wishes to test knowledge by seeking fallibility of:
i) argument
ii) reason
It rejects false premises for argument and reason e.g.
name calling
false cause-and-effect
popular false claims
emotional claims (hatred, fear)
false representation
How does knowledge benefit from scientific rationalism?

It is willing to view knowledge as dynamic

It permits knowledge to be revised in the face of evidence
It is willing to admit new evidence for discussion and consideration

Think of an example of where this applies in the subject/s that you teach.
It wishes to test knowledge by seeking fallibility of argument and reason. e.g. the house

Fertile crescent – area of Mesopotamia (Middle East) between Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Iraq, Syria,
western Turkey) – cradle of civilisation
Paleontological finds suggest otherwise – Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa (Eastern Africa) – revised
cradle of civilisation
Think about examples of where scientific rationalism can be useful in subject
teaching in the classroom.

Your ideas?

I will open a discussion portal (not for marks) in which you might wish to share your ideas.