1st Edition
Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Representational Pluralism in Human Cognition Tracing Points of Convergence in Psychology, Science Education, and Philosophy of Science
Bringing together diverse theoretical and empirical contributions from the fields of social and cognitive psychology, philosophy and science education, this volume explores representational pluralism as a phenomenon characteristic of human cognition.
Building on these disciplines’ shared interest in understanding human thought, perception and conceptual change, the volume illustrates how representational plurality can be conducive to research and practice in varied fields. Particular care is taken to emphasize points of convergence and the value of sharing discourses, models, justifications and theories of pluralism across disciplines. The editors give ample space for philosophers, cognitive scientists and educators to explicate the history and current status of representational pluralism in their own disciplines.
Using multiple forms of research from the relational perspective, this volume will be of interest to students, scholars and researchers with an interest in cognitive psychology, as well as educational psychology and philosophy of science.
Section 1: Introduction
1. Introduction to representational pluralism
Michel Bélanger, Patrice Potvin, Steven Horst, Eduardo F. Mortimer and Andrew Shtulman
2. Bridging pluralisms
Michel Bélanger and Patrice Potvin
Section 2: Psychology
3. Satisfying epistemic and existential needs: Representational pluralism across scientific domains
Jesse D. Peregrino and Cristine H. Legare
4. Computational modeling of representational pluralism in explanations
Scott Friedman and Micah Goldwater
5. Representational pluralism in the service of learning: The case of thought experiments
Igor Bascandziev
6. Navigating the conflict between science and intuition
Andrew Shtulman
Section 3: Science education
7. From conceptual change to conceptual prevalence: What the acknowledgement of representational plurality could mean for science teaching
Patrice Potvin
8. Examining evidence for the effects and antecedents of plurality in revising science misconceptions
Gregory J. Trevors, Veronica Fleury and Panayiota Kendeou
9. Heterogeneity and pluralism in science education from the perspective of conceptual profiles
Charbel N. El-Hani, Edenia Maria Ribeiro do Amaral and Eduardo F. Mortimer
10. Unity in plurality: The emergence of pluralist expertise
Michel Bélanger
Section 4: Philosophy of science
11. More than one right answer: An introduction to the varieties of pluralism
Stephen H. Kellert
12. Rise and (impending) fall of physics fundamentalism
Paul Teller
13. Dissipation, integration and practical pluralism: The case of cognitive science
Rick Dale and Pablo Andrés Contreras Kallens
14. Representational pluralism, realism and the prospects of integration
Stéphanie Ruphy
15. Why pluralism?
Steven Horst
Biography
Michel Bélanger is Professor of Science Education, University of Québec at Rimouski, Canada.
Patrice Potvin is Professor of Science Education, University of Québec at Montréal, Canada.
Steven Horst is Professor of Philosophy at Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA.
Andrew Shtulman is Professor in the Departments of Psychology & Cognitive Science, Occidental College, USA.
Eduardo Mortimer is Professor of Science Education, Federal University of Minas Gerai, Brazil.
