Mapping the invisible: knowledge, credibility and visions of earth in early modern cave maps

This paper examines cave environments as unique spaces of knowledge production and shows how visualizations of natural cavities in maps came to be powerful tools in scientific reasoning. Faced with the challenge of limited vision, mapmakers combined empiricism and imagination in an experimental setting and developed specific translation strategies to deal with the uncertain origin of underground objects and the shifting boundaries between the known and the unknown. By deconstructing this type of cartographic representation, which has barely been studied, this paper furnishes surprising insights into the scholarly practices and tools used to deal with this considerable epistemic uncertainty and to signal credibility and trust to potential users. The array of maps used for this study includes both archival and published sources, depicting caves in Europe, America and Siberia.

Correction: Mahler et al. Preservice Biology Teachers’ Scientific Reasoning Skills and Beliefs about Nature of Science: How Do They Develop and Is There a Mutual Relationship during the Development? Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 558

In the original version of the paper [...]

KONTEKSTUALITAS DALAM PENAFSIRAN MENURUT BACTIAR SURIN: MELETAKKAN RASIONALITAS SEBAGAI PERANGKAT PEMAHAMAN AL-QUR’AN

The Rationality in interpretation that tends to be disputed can be used as an instrument to provide the contextual meaning of the Qur’an. Rationality equipped by science can actualize meanings that are more relevant to the development of society. The actual meaning has an impact on easier understanding for the community. This study aims to reveal the function of rationality in contextual interpretation without having to be fixated on the significance of a verse. This study uses primary data sources from Terjemah dan Tafsir al-Qur’an bahasa Arab dan Latin by Bachtiar Surin. This interpretation is used, aside from being abandoned by many researchers, it is also used as another way to actualizing meaning. This study uses a qualitative method with content analysis as a data analysis tool. This study finds the significance of rationality in interpretation through the inseparable relationship of reason with the Qur'an. Intellect as a gift from God can be used to explain God's language. In its application, Rationality can provide contextual meaning in two forms. First, the actualization of meaning with terms that are relevant to a modern context. Second, rationality functions as scientific reasoning to provide factual evidence for the meaning of the Qur'an. The actualizing of the Qur'an meaning can be achieved by rationality so that the contextual device in interpretation does not only emphasize significant meaning on the verse. Rasionalitas dalam penafsiran yang cenderung diperselisihkan dapat dijadikan sarana untuk memberikan pemahaman terhadap al-Qur’an secara kontekstual. Rasionalitas yang dilengkapi oleh ilmu pengetahuan dapat mereaktualisasi makna yang lebih relevan dengan perkembangan masyarakat. Pemaknaan secara aktual berdampak pada pemahaman yang lebih mudah kepada masyarakat. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengungkapkan fungsi rasionalitas dalam penafsiran kontekstual tanpa harus terpaku dengan signifikansi pesan yang terkandung dalam sebuah ayat. Untuk mencapai tujuan tersebut, penelitian ini menggunakan sumber data primer dari Terjemah dan Tafsir al-Qur’an bahasa Arab dan Latin karya Bachtiar Surin. Tafsir ini digunakan, selain ditinggalkan oleh banyak peneliti juga didasarkan pada penggunaan cara lain dalam mengaktualisasi makna. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan content analysis sebagai perangkat analisa data. Penelitian ini menemukan signifikansi rasionalitas dalam penafsiran melalui hubungan akal dengan al-Qur’an yang tidak dapat dipisahkan. Akal sebagai anugerah Tuhan dapat digunakan untuk menjelaskan bahasa Tuhan. Dalam aplikasinya, akal dapat memberikan penafsiran secara kontekstual dalam dua bentuk. Pertama, reaktualisasi makna dengan istilah yang relevan dengan keilmuan modern. Kedua, rasionalitas berfungsi sebagai penalaran ilmiah dengan bentuk memberikan bukti faktual atas kebenaran kandungan makna al-Qur’an. Keberhasilan rasionalitas dalam mereaktualisasi makna dengan dua bentuk tersebut membuktikan bahwa penafsiran kontekstual dapat ditempuh dengan menggunakan rasionalitas yang bersifat subjektif, sehingga perangkat kontektulitas dalam penafsiran tidak hanya menekankan pada penemuan pesan makna sesuai dengan penggunaannya di masa al-Qur’an turun.

Socioscientific-Issues Based Classroom Intervention on Grade 10 Students’ Learning Achievement and Scientific Reasoning

Socioscientific-issues based instruction can promote science to students as a tool for necessary learning in the disruptive world. This instruction helps students critique and response as its nature of science, gaining higher-ordered thinking, and discussing with scientific reasoning. The objectives of this study were to compare learning achievement and scientific reasoning of grade 10 students. The topic “DNA technology” was employed with 90 grade 10 students from 2 classrooms. The quasi-experimental research was designed by comparing learning achievement and scientific reasoning between 2 learning organizations. The research tools were socioscientific-issues based and inquiry-based lesson plans, the achievement test consist of 30 items of 4 choices multiple test and scientific reasoning test. The statistic used to test the hypothesis was independent t-test. The results indicated that students had no difference score of learning achievement between learning organizations. While socioscientific-issues based learning had score of scientific reasoning higher than inquiry-based learning at the .05 level of statistically significance. The study can summarize that socioscientific-issues based learning can promote scientific reasoning to science classroom.

Combining Active Learning Strategies: Performances and Experiences of Grade School Filipino Students

This study combined computer simulation and predict-observe-explain as a new strategy known as Computer Simulation Supported Predict-Observe-Explain (CSSPOE) to explore other ways to facilitate the teaching and learning in physics. This strategy was tested in determining the conceptual understanding and scientific reasoning among grade school Filipino students. A quasi-experimental method was used to gather quantitative data from 38 participants then a case study was used to acquire information from the students. After the CSSPOE intervention, post-test results showed that students had positive conceptual changes, and this increase was significant. The interview data showed that participants pointed out the affordances of CSSPOE, such as visualization, autonomy, recognition of alternative conceptions, and consequently accommodating the scientific notions, and noticing the departure of the strategy from the usual lecture method. The recommendation is to adapt CSSPOE in the K to 12 science curriculum or even in college Physics classes. Physics teachers should strive to utilize constructivist and active learning approaches like CSSPOE.

Uncertainty and Complexity: Towards Model-Based Demography

This chapter focuses on the broad methodological and philosophical underpinnings of the Bayesian model-based approach to studying migration. Starting from reflections on the uncertainty and complexity in demography and, in particular, migration studies, the focus moves to the shifting role of formal modelling, from merely describing, to predicting and explaining population processes. Of particular importance are the gaps in understanding asylum migration flows, which are some of the least predictable while at the same time most consequential forms of human mobility. The well-recognised theoretical void of demography as a discipline does not help, especially given the lack of empirical micro-foundations in formal modelling. Here, we analyse possible solutions to theoretical shortcomings of demography and migration studies from the point of view of the philosophy of science, looking at the inductive, deductive and abductive approaches to scientific reasoning. In that spirit, the final section introduces and extends a research programme of model-based demography.

COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF THE FORT INSTRUMENT: USING DISTRACTOR ANALYSIS TO EXPLORE STUDENTS’ SCIENTIFIC REASONING BASED ON ACADEMIC LEVEL AND GENDER DIFFERENCE

Scientific reasoning ability is essential to get developed in the current digital age, particularly in the process of judgement and decision-making in complex problems. Few studies have conducted an in-depth exploration of scientific reasoning ability, especially in relation to the confidence level and gender. The scientific reasoning ability of Indonesian upper-secondary school and university students were examined and compared with previous recorded data of US students. In this study, the data were collected from 372 university and 528 upper-secondary education students in Indonesia. Students’ scientific reasoning ability was measured using a scientific formal reasoning test (FORT). In addition, confidence level and metacognitive data was collected through self-reported measures. Two-way ANOVA was performed to compare mean differences between groups based on academic level and gender and to observe interaction between the variables. Students’ confidence level in selecting the correct answer and distractor answer was analyzed using an independent t-test. The results reveal that many Indonesian students selected specific distractors with relatively high confidence. Moreover, upper-secondary school students and female students selected more distractors than the groups’ counterparts. Finally, the factors related to Indonesian students’ responses to the scientific formal reasoning were discussed. Keywords: confidence level, distractor analysis, gender differences, scientific (formal) reasoning test, scientific reasoning ability, Indonesian student

Adaptive Design, Contingency, and Ontological Principles for Limited Beings

Transcendental arguments are not popular in contemporary philosophy of science. They are typically seen as antinaturalistic and incapable of providing explanatory force in accounting for natural phenomena. However, when viewed as providing (certain types of) intelligibility to complicated concepts used in scientific reasoning, a concrete and productive role is recoverable for transcendental reasoning in philosophy of science. In this article I argue that the resources, and possibly the need, for such a role are available within a thoroughly naturalistic framework garnered from the work of Hasok Chang and William Wimsatt.