The non-epistemic dimension, at last a key component in mainstream theoretical approaches to teaching the nature of science

Abstract

For many years, hegemonic approaches to teaching the nature of science (NOS) have focused mainly on understanding some epistemic (i.e., rational, or cognitive) aspects involved in the construction of science. So, aspects of a non-epistemic (i.e., non-rational, contextual, or extra-scientific) nature have been practically neglected in these predominant proposals for teaching NOS. However, those of us who advocate a more holistic NOS teaching, with a balanced integration of both epistemic and non-epistemic aspects of NOS, have reason to celebrate. The development of the family resemblance approach (FRA) to NOS, initially proposed by Irzik and Nola (2011, 2014), and then suitably adapted by Erduran and Dagher (2014) for science education, has cemented such a purpose in the current literature on NOS teaching research. But, like all scientific milestones, there are antecedents that, in some way, have also contributed to building the path that has brought us to this point. Therefore, it is fair to acknowledge them. Thus, the aim of this article is to provide a critical discussion of all of this and to make an explicit acknowledgement of some of these antecedents, such as the framework of the science-technology-society (STS) tradition, among others, without undermining the important role of the FRA in achieving the current predominant vision of holistic NOS teaching.