Not Just a “Fleck” on the Epistemic Landscape: A Reappraisal of Ludwik Fleck’s Views of the Nature of Scientific Progress and Change in Relation to Contemporary Educational and Social Issues

In contrast to Thomas Kuhn, the work of Ludwik Fleck, a Polish-born physician, microbiologist, and epistemologist, is conspicuously absent from the science education literature. His originally obscure monograph first published in German in 1935, Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact, anticipates a number of views explicated by contemporary philosophers of science, cognitive psychologists, and learning theorists, and Fleck’s main thesis is, is many respects, strikingly similar to the oft-cited thesis developed later by Kuhn in The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Fleck’s work is perhaps the best example of the social influence on scientific commitment and thinking and is one of the first works to suggest different scales or varieties of change in science. At the same time as Fleck’s work gains recognition, momentum, and force in philosophical circles, some educators are calling for a critical appraisal of Kuhn’s impact on science education. This climate provides an ideal opportunity to assess (or perhaps in some cases reassess) the value of Fleck’s work in a science education context. The primary aim of this article, therefore, is to introduce educators in general, and science educators in particular, to the main ideas developed by Fleck in his Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact. Throughout this article, Fleck’s ideas are compared and contrasted to those of Thomas Kuhn—arguably one of the most popular referents in nature of science studies over the past decade. As will be discussed, many of the ideas developed by Fleck anticipate central issues and perspectives in philosophy, epistemology, sociology, education, and cognitive psychology.     

Diversified production of red figured pottery in Apulia (Southern Italy) in the late period

Late Apulian red figured pottery [1] from Egnatia (Fasano, Brindisi, Italy) was studied in order to widen the view on this ceramic class in Southern Italy. Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) provided the samples elemental composition that allowed to make provenance hypotheses. Optical Microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS), supplied information about the minero-petrographic features of the objects to better understand their production technology. The set of results highlighted the contemporary presence in the Apulian land in the late 4th century BC of both local and imported finds and showed the existence of two different kinds of local production, the “classic” Attic and a peculiar one, characterized by the application of an engobe layer before the black gloss. Our previous studies resulted in the discovery that an engobe layer, with similar chemical and minero-petrographic characteristics, was present in finds from another site in central Apulia (Monte Sannace). So the discovery of red engobe on fragments from Egnatia, proves that its use was not an isolated occurrence, but was quite common in the production of red figured in Apulia during the Late period, appearing as a peculiar technological mark of Apulian potters.     

Corrigendum

We present contemporary, historical, and literary evidence of civic learning and action in senior citizens’ lives and suggest a framework for understanding seniors’ various levels of involvement in civic activities. A seven‐stage civic involvement continuum emerged from real interviews with living older adults and simulated interviews with fictional and historical older adults. The continuum began with the fulfillment of basic needs through volunteering and ended with becoming an advocate of a specific cause. Implications for adult education practice are suggested.     

A kinematic comparison between long-line and cross-court top spin forehand in competitive table tennis players

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to compare the biomechanical characteristics of the table tennis top spin shot when played cross-court (CC) or long-line (LL) in competitive table tennis players. Seven national level players respectively completed 10 long-line and 10 cross-court top spin shots responding to a standard ball machine. A stereophotogrammetric system was used to track body segments while executing the motion. Significantly more flexed right knee and elbow angles were measured at the moment of maximum velocity of the racket (MMV) in LL. In addition, significantly greater angles between the feet and the table and between the shoulders and the table at the MMV, indicated more pronounced rotation angles of the lower upper and upper-body in LL compared to CC with respect to the table. A higher inclination of the racket at the MMV was found in LL. The elbow flexion and the racket inclination may be associated to the direction of the shot. The present findings show that kinematic differences exist between the LL and the CC topspin forehand in competitive table tennis players. Coaches should be aware of these differences to adopt the optimal teaching strategies and to reproduce proper joint angles during training.     

Psychological,Philosophical, and Educational Criticisms of Harry Frankfurt’s Concept of and Views about “Bullshit” in Human Discourse,Discussions, and Exchanges

Princeton University Press recently published the American moral philosopher Harry Frankfurt’s book On Bullshit, which quickly made the New York Times best seller list. Originally published in the journal Raritan in 1986, Frankfurt’s book has been heralded as an important theoretical development in the study of what he (and society) colloquially refer to as “bullshit.” Frankfurt formally defines BS as a situation where ones inclination and obligation to speak about a topic or concept far exceeds one’s knowledge of the topic, which most certainly has been a rising problem for a number of reasons over the past 20 years. However, Frankfurt’s book, which purports to be a moral victory of sorts, and despite its popularity, is not only severely flawed and outdated from an educational, cognitive, and philosophical perspective, but it is also highly oppressive in several different but very important ways. Because this book and its main arguments are being cited favorably in a number of different academic circles (including the science education community), this paper highlights the limitations and flaws of this book and develops a counter-argument and model of BS that has important implications for science, mathematics, philosophy, and educational theory and research.     

Quantification of training load during one-, two- and three-game week schedules in professional soccer players from the English Premier League: implications for carbohydrate periodisation

Muscle glycogen is the predominant energy source for soccer match play, though its importance for soccer training (where lower loads are observed) is not well known. In an attempt to better inform carbohydrate (CHO) guidelines, we quantified training load in English Premier League soccer players (n = 12) during a one-, two- and three-game week schedule (weekly training frequency was four, four and two, respectively). In a one-game week, training load was progressively reduced (P < 0.05) in 3 days prior to match day (total distance = 5223 ± 406, 3097 ± 149 and 2912 ± 192 m for day 1, 2 and 3, respectively). Whilst daily training load and periodisation was similar in the one- and two-game weeks, total accumulative distance (inclusive of both match and training load) was higher in a two-game week (32.5 ± 4.1 km) versus one-game week (25.9 ± 2 km). In contrast, daily training total distance was lower in the three-game week (2422 ± 251 m) versus the one- and two-game weeks, though accumulative weekly distance was highest in this week (35.5 ± 2.4 km) and more time (P < 0.05) was spent in speed zones >14.4 km · h^?1 (14%, 18% and 23% in the one-, two- and three-game weeks, respectively). Considering that high CHO availability improves physical match performance but high CHO availability attenuates molecular pathways regulating training adaptation (especially considering the low daily customary loads reported here, e.g., 3–5 km per day), we suggest daily CHO intake should be periodised according to weekly training and match schedules.     

A shower before bedtime may improve the sleep onset latency of youth soccer players

During the competitive season, soccer players are likely exposed to numerous factors that may disrupt the process of sleep. The current investigation looked to evaluate a practical sleep hygiene strategy (10-min showering at ～40°C before lights out), within a group of 11 youth soccer players in comparison to normal sleeping conditions (control). Each condition consisted of three days within a randomised crossover trial design. Sleep information was collected using a commercial wireless bedside sleep monitor. Measures of skin temperature were evaluated using iButton skin thermistors to establish both distal and proximal skin temperatures and distal to proximal gradient. The shower intervention elevated distal skin temperature by 1.1°C (95% CI: 0.1–2.1°C, p?=?.04) on average prior to lights out. The elevation in distal temperature was also present during the first 30-min following lights out (1.0°C, 95% CI: 0.4–1.6°C, p?<?.01). The distal to proximal gradient also showed a significant effect between the conditions within the first 30-min after lights out (0.7°C, 95% CI: 0.3–1.2°C, p?<?.01). On average the sleep latency of the youth soccer players was ?7-min lower (95% CI: ?13 to ?2?min, p?<?.01) and sleep efficiency +2% higher (95% CI: 1–3%; p?<?.01) in the shower condition. These findings demonstrate that a warm shower performed before lights out may offer a practical strategy to promote thermoregulatory changes that may advance sleep onset latency and improve sleep efficiency in athletes.     

A Critique of the Theoretical and Empirical Literature of the Use of Diagrams, Graphs, and Other Visual Aids in the Learning of Scientific-Technical Content from Expository Texts and Instruction

This article presents a critical review and analysis of key studies that have been done in science education and other areas on the effects and effectiveness of using diagrams, graphs, photographs, illustrations, and concept maps as adjunct visual aids in the learning of scientific-technical content. It also summarizes and reviews those studies that have students draw diagrams, graphs, maps, and charts to express their understandings of the concepts and relationships that are present in the text they read or/and empirical data provided (i.e., student-generated adjunct visual productions). In general, the research and theory on instructional aids is fragmented and somewhat unsystematic with several flaws and a number of key uncontrolled variables, which actually suppress and mask effects in the studies that have been done. The findings of these studies are compared to relevant literature and empirical research and findings in the areas of cognitive psychology, computer science, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence that help to clarify many of the inconsistencies, contradictions, and lack of effects found for visual (e.g., diagrams and graphs) instructional aids in the science education literature currently and in the past 20 years. A model and a set of criteria and goals for improving research in this area is then described, as visuals are a first step in the process of learning formal (scientific) models, which are most often visually represented. Understanding how students learn formal models is one the outstanding research challenges in the next 20 years, both within and outside of science education.