The Student as Philosopher-Scientist: Dewey's Conception of Scientific Explanation In Science Education

Dewey's conception of scientific explanation, which has been neglected by both philosophers of science and philosophers of education, facilitates overcoming the seeming divide between teaching a highly technical and specialized subject matter and encouraging students to successfully engage in the experience of being philosopher-scientists. By analyzing Dewey's philosophy of science as it pertains to science education, we gain the insight that scientific explanation is a tool that may be used by students and supported by faculty to facilitate scientific investigation that is philosophical. Here I present Dewey's conception of scientific explanation as it relates to science education by providing an overview of this conception as it relates to the student, followed by Dewey's ideas with specific regard for science education, as well as an example illustrating how scientific explanation is utilized as a self-empowering, philosophical tool within the context of science education.