Discussing the history and nature of science through the Toulmin argument pattern: contributions to physics teaching

Authors

  • Clair de Luma Capiberibe Nunes
  • Wellington Pereira de Queirós
  • Luiz Gonzaga Roversi Genovese
  • Nádia Cristina Guimarães Errobidart

Keywords:

Science teaching, Epistemology of science, Argumentative analysis, Kepler's first law

Abstract

The Toulmin Argument Pattern is a diagram to analyse monoloagal arguments proposed by Stephen Toulmin in his paradigmatic work The Uses of Arguments, being very useful for studies in argumentative analysis and informal logic. Its potential for science teaching has been explored in the literature. In this essay, we show how the Toulmin Argument Pattern can be used as a didactic tool to discuss topics in the history and nature of science and also to analyse discourses presented in journalistic articles, scientific dissemination texts and the like. To make our exposition clearer, we show how the Toulmin Argument Pattern captures essential elements of the structure of scientific theories and the construction of scientific knowledge, then we show how it is a useful device for inserting the history of science in the classroom from the study of Kepler's First Law.

Published

2022-12-21

Issue

Section

Trabajos presentados a SIEF

How to Cite

Discussing the history and nature of science through the Toulmin argument pattern: contributions to physics teaching. (2022). Journal of Physics Teaching, 34, 85-93. https://revistas.psi.unc.edu.ar/index.php/revistaEF/article/view/39801