Time for Science Education: How Teaching the History and Philosophy of Pendulum Motion Can Contribute to Science LiteracySpringer Science & Business Media, 2000 M10 31 - 439 pages The book demonstrates the importance of history and philosophyof science for science education. It provides a case study of thependulum, showing the pivotal role played by the pendulum in theScientific Revolution. It describes how the pendulum enabled thecreation of accurate clocks that, among other things, enabled thelong-standing problem of longitude to be solved. The book charts howthe solution of the longitude problem was of enormous social, economicand cultural significance for European and consequently world history.Further, the book shows how the discovery of the laws of pendulummotion by Galileo, Huygens and Newton hinged on the acceptance of anew methodology for science. The pendulum laws are a window throughwhich to view the fascinating mixture of experiment, mathematics andphilosophy that characterized the foundations of modern science- the Galilean-Newtonian paradigm - anddistinguished it from Aristotelian, medieval and commonsense science.The book covers: learning about the nature ofscience; navigation andthe longitude problem; ancient and medieval timekeeping; Galileo'sanalysis of pendulum motion; Huygens, Hooke, Newton and the pendulum; clocks and culture; science and philosophy; the mechanical world view; teaching about time and pendulum motion; and teacher education andculture.The book defends a liberal, or contextual, approach to the teaching ofscience. It shows how understanding the scientific, philosophical andcultural contexts and ramifications of the pendulum laws can allowteachers to plan more engaging lessons, and conduct informativehistorical- investigative experiments. Students can re-live history.Contextual understanding of the pendulum allows connections to bemadewith other parts of the science curriculum, and with other subjectareas such as geography, literature, religion, music and mathematics.Readers will come away with a deeper understanding of the nature ofscience and its |
From inside the book
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... Newton's Physics . 181 The Horological Background 183 The Metaphysical Background 184 Synthesis of Celestial and Terrestrial Mechanics 188 Matter , Mass , and Weight .... 193 The Pendulum and Conservation Laws . 196 The Pendulum in ...
... Newton's Physics . 181 The Horological Background 183 The Metaphysical Background 184 Synthesis of Celestial and Terrestrial Mechanics 188 Matter , Mass , and Weight .... 193 The Pendulum and Conservation Laws . 196 The Pendulum in ...
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... Newton's Argument with Leibniz about God's Involvement in a Clockwork Universe . God as Clockmaker .... Poetry and the Design Argument . Metaphor in Science and in Education 215 216 219 219 221 225 228 231 Chapter 10. Science and ...
... Newton's Argument with Leibniz about God's Involvement in a Clockwork Universe . God as Clockmaker .... Poetry and the Design Argument . Metaphor in Science and in Education 215 216 219 219 221 225 228 231 Chapter 10. Science and ...
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Contents
Learning about the Pendulum and Improving | 1 |
Problems with Science Education | 7 |
Science Literacy | 13 |
Navigation and the Longitude Problem | 19 |
Ancient and Medieval Timekeeping | 47 |
Galileo and the Pendulum Clock | 77 |
Galileos Analysis of Pendulum Motion | 95 |
Christiaan Huygens and the Pendulum Clock | 121 |
Some Lessons from the History | 237 |
Epistemology and the Analysis of Pendulum Motion | 243 |
Observation Theory and Experiment | 251 |
Scientific Laws | 261 |
Reductionist Accounts of Time | 267 |
The Pendulum and Simple Harmonic Motion | 302 |
Measuring Time in Junior High School | 311 |
CrossDisciplinary Teaching about Time | 317 |
Perfecting Mechanical Timekeeping | 157 |
Hookes Dispute with Huygens | 164 |
Leibniz Clockwork Proposal | 170 |
Determining Local Time | 176 |
The Clock Analogy in Philosophy | 215 |
Newtons Argument with Leibniz about Gods Involvement | 221 |
Poetry and the Design Argument | 228 |
Appendix Some Significant Dates | 353 |
Endnotes | 357 |
References | 381 |
Credits | 419 |
433 | |
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Common terms and phrases
17th century acceleration accurate argument Aristotelian Aristotle astronomical body Chap chord Christiaan Huygens circle claims clockmaker clockwork concepts construction constructivism constructivist cultural curriculum cycloid Descartes discussion distance earth empiricist epistemology equal equator experiment fall Figure force freefall Galileo gravity Guidobaldo del Monte history and philosophy history of science Hooke horological Huygens ideas isochronic knowledge latitude learning Leibniz length literacy London longitude problem mathematics matter measure mechanical clocks medieval metaphor method methodological modern Monte move movement nature of science navigation Newton Newtonian noon objects observation oscillations pendulum clock pendulum motion phenomena philosophy of science physics Piaget plane Principia programs Richer's Robert Hooke rotation science education science teacher scientific revolution scientists seconds pendulum social spring standard sundials swing teaching theoretical theory things timekeeping tion understanding University Press velocity verge escapement voyage water clocks weight wheel wrote