Skip to main content
Log in

Galileo and pendulum motion: A case for history and philosophy in the science classroom

  • Published:
Research in Science Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

There are encouraging signs that the history and philosophy of science are becoming more important in the teaching of science and in the preparation of science teachers. This tendency is supported here by looking at the widespread treatment of Galileo's account of pendulum motion in science texts and classrooms, indicating that it is a less than adequate account of the historical facts, and suggesting that the teaching of this commonplace topic can be considerably enhanced if science teachers have some familiarity with basic research in the history and philosophy of science.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science, (1989).Science for all Americans. Washington, AAAS.

    Google Scholar 

  • ARMSTRONG, H.E. (1903).The teaching of scientific method, London, Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • ARIOTTI, P. (1968). Galileo on the isochrony of the pendulum.Isis, 59, 414–426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Association for Science Education. (1963).The training of graduate science teachers. Hatfield, ASE.

    Google Scholar 

  • Association for Science Education. (1981).Education through science. Hatfield, ASE.

    Google Scholar 

  • BEDINI, S.A. (1986). Galileo, and scientific instrumentation, in W.A. Wallace ed.Reinterpreting Galileo. Washington, Catholic University Press, 127–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • BEVILACQUA, F. & KENNEDY, P.J. eds. (1983).Using history of physics in innovatory physics education. Proceedings of an international conference, Pavia, Universita di Pavia.

  • CARTWRIGHT, N. (1983).How the laws of physics lie. Oxford, Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • CLAGGETT, M. (1959).The science of mechanics in the middle ages. Madison, University of Wiscons in Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • DRAKE, S. ed., (1957).Discoveries and opinions of Galileo, New York, Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • DRAKE, S. (1978).Galileo at work. Chicago, University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • DRAKE, S., and DRABKIN, I.E. eds. (1960).Mechanics in sixteenth-century Italy. Madison, University of Wosconsin Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • GALILEO, GALILEI (1590).On motion, translated by I. E. Drabkin and S. Drake, Madison, University of Wisconsin Press, 1960.

    Google Scholar 

  • GALILEO, GALILEI (1638).Dialoque concerning two new sciences, translated by H. Crew and A. de Salvio, New York, Dover Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • KOYRE, A. (1968).Metaphysics and measurement. Cambridge MA, Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • MATTHEWS, M.R. (1988). A role for history and philosophy in science teaching.Educational Philosophy, and Theory, 20, 67–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • MATTHEWS, M.R. (1989). Ernst mach and thought experiments in science education.Research in Science Teaching.

  • National Curriculum Council. (1988).Science in the national curriculum. London, NCC.

    Google Scholar 

  • THOMSEN, P.V. ed. (1986).Science education and the history of physics. Proceedings of an international conference. Aarhus Denmark, University of Aarhus.

    Google Scholar 

  • WOLF, F.A. (1981).Taking the quantum leap. New York, Harper and Row.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Matthews, M.R. Galileo and pendulum motion: A case for history and philosophy in the science classroom. Research in Science Education 19, 187–197 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02356858

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02356858

Keywords

Navigation