Peirce’s Aesthetics, Ethics and Logic as a basis for developing action research in Environmental Science Education

Abstract

According to the Philosophy of Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914), Normative Sciences would be: aesthetics, the science of what is objectively admirable; Ethics, which strives to define which ideals guide our conduct; and Logic, which studies what ideas and norms guide our thoughts. This paper seeks to present the Peirce Theory as a relevant theoretical reference for the elaboration of researches related to the Teaching of Environmental Sciences, presenting as an example two models of doctoral research. In addition, the principles of action research guide this study in the sense of methodological articulations for the production of knowledge relating its three dimensions, being, educational action, scientific research on educational processes and social participation. The first research sought to present an applied study of Philosophy and History of Science to Teaching, having as final product the proposal and application of a didactic sequence, while the second research sought to verify the importance of different knowledge, such as scientific, legislative and traditional, for a dialogue that guides decision-making on environmental issues. In the end, this study showed that, through action research, it was possible to present a proposal for the improvement Teaching of Environmental Sciences, based on the Peircean philosophy.