Fundamentals of logic, reasoning, and argumentation: an evidence-supported curriculum targeting scientific literacy to increase public understanding and engagement in science

La Shun L. Carroll

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4132-6392

United States

University at Buffalo

Ed.M. graduate student at the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education. He received his Doctorate Cum Laude from the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, and a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Philosophy from Baruch College. His publications include "Theoretical Biomimetics: A biological design-driven concept for creative problem-solving as applied to the optimalsequencing of active learning techniques in educational theory" in Multidisciplinary Journal for Education, Social and Technological Sciences (October 2017), and “A Comprehensive Definition of Technology from an Ethological Perspective” (MDPI, 2017). Research interests include metaphysics, logic, science, technology, and education. Dr. Carroll was an Adjunct Professor at Saint Michael’s College.

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Accepted: 2020-02-05

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Published: 2020-04-16

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/muse.2020.12787
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Keywords:

Curriculum, scientific literacy, science and the public, public understanding of science (PUS), public engagement with science (PES)

Supporting agencies:

This research was not funded

Abstract:

The purpose of this article is to present an evidence-supported curriculum covering the fundamentals of logic, reasoning, and argumentation skills to address the emphasized basic knowledge, skills, and abilities required to be scientifically literate, which will prepare the public to understand and engage with science meaningfully.  An analytic-synthetic approach toward understanding the notion of public is taken using a theoretical biomimetics framework that identifies naturally occurring objects or phenomena that descriptively captures the essence of a construct to facilitate creative problem- solving.  In the present case, the problem being solved is how to reconcile what is meant by public, how it ought to be interpreted, determining the diverse levels of confidence in science that exist, and various understandings of science all with one another.  The results demonstrate there is an inherent denotative-connotative inconsistency in the traditional notion of public that can be explicated through the concept of a fractal allowing for comprehension of the relationship between public confidence in, and understanding of, science.

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References:

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