Science and Common Sense: In Favor of the Teaching of Critical Common Sense

Abstract

The objective of this article is to explore some of the relationships that exist between science and common sense. It begins with the reconstruction of the thesis of modernity in which science is favored at the expense of common sense, a reconstruction based on the analysis offered by the phenomenologist Edmund Husserl. It goes on to defend the thesis that science is anchored inevitably in common sense, drawing distinctions between the “naive” or natural view and the critical approach, particularly in light of the proposals presented by the philosopher Karl Popper. To clarify these distinctions, the author evaluates several of the theories put forth by the sociologist Michel Maffesoli, which have carved out a career in different contexts and are eminently constructionist in nature. These ideas are applied to science education, and the study concludes with an outline of proposals that could be useful when designing strategies for classroom work.