Many intellectuals think that the absence of social sciences in science education makes the content purely technical, which does not does not allow to "humanize" knowledge and skills.
I believe social sciences furnish the ethical base that good scientists need in order to use their knowledge and future discoveries to benefit rather than harm humanity.
Social sciences believe that construtivism beats reality. Furthermore they believe that practical action is more favored then pure observation and collection of knowledge. Furthermore the practical level is to 'educate' humans avoid and/or overcome 'problems', while they are mostly using constructivism themself in order to shape situations in such a way that they become problems in order to create applications.
So what do you expect your students to learn from social science? How to lie and tell people fairy tales and call-to-action-stories so they make others believe there really is a problem for the sake of money?
(You do better if you offer them studies in mental magic then because it is more precise and less illusionary)
Social science is occupied by egoism as well. There is nothing one can really learn here to be a better human or do something for society. All kids learn is doing a job and handling everything like it was a job. And then they call it "professional behavior".
Of course this is only my personal opinion. Others might see this whole question in a different light.
Dear Carmen Wrede,
I will explain why I asked this question:
I belong to a generation of Tunisian scientists whose studies included, in addition to mathematics and the natural and physical sciences, philosophy, history, geography, literature, civics and study of foreign languages (this is what I call the social sciences). This generation has provided Tunisian society with modern, open, tolerant, incredulous, critically-minded (etc. ) scientists. Then there was a change in the curricula of science education that became focused only on mathematics and physics, accompanied by a decline in the learning of languages. This has spawned scientists, many of whom are dogmatic, to the point that among the DAECH recruits, university graduates are essentially scientists and engineers !!!!
I believe social sciences furnish the ethical base that good scientists need in order to use their knowledge and future discoveries to benefit rather than harm humanity.
Dear Dibakar Pal: The use of computer tools for the processing and analysis of data, such as the SPSS software, is of interest to all sciences.
But the question asked is rather about the role of social sciences teaching in n the training of scientists.
Dear Kirk MacGregor : Based on my long career as a teacher-researcher and on my own experience, I totally agree with you.
Oum Kalthoum Ben Hassine
The presence of courses in the field of social sciences and humanities in the curricula of all university specialties is an inheritance of the Renaissance tradition in education. This presence assures, I believe, the completion of graduate training.
In Romania there has been a tendency to give up social and humanistic disciplines on the occasion of joining the Bologna Convention. However, curricular options are set at the level of each faculty, and things are like this: who wants to / or can pamper their students, also offers them (at least one) a course in the social or humanist area: sociology, history, communication. Foreign language courses are compulsory in the first two years of a bachelor level study for all university specialties.
Daniela Sorea: Thank you for this valuable information on how things are going in your universities. In Tunisia, we have also introduced Bologna system since 2005 - 2006 and we have set up very interesting programs in science education and we have introduced social sciences and humanities in the form of optional teaching units. But most of our colleagues have not adhered to these programs and to the system itself and have continued to provide old programs under the new titles. They were supported by the education unions which, especially since 2011, are exercising an excessive power and calling for the abolition of the Bologna system !!!! ...
Dear Oum,
I will show you a few definitions from social psychology. Basic defintions, so you do not think I am telling you lies here:
One premise for social psychology is that what people are calling social reality is active constructed. People do not react in an objective way when it comes to situations but how the they subjectivly perceive a situation.and then interpret it.
There speaks nothing against this so far because from our daily experience we can say that this is true.
What we furthermore know is that in social situations people influence each other and so how people behave is influenced by others.
Other fields like social sciences take the findings from research and use it now in order to find solutions for practical and social problems.
Social science is more practical. As said they are trying to solve problems how they occur in a >>current
Dear Carmen,
Thank you for all this relevant analysis that is for me, as a scientist, very valuable to better understand my world and my environment.
Oum Kalthoum
I think you may be saying what I had attempted to say, in a much better way. You may find my simple article useful... idk. Article Accepted Anomalous Evidence: Educating Anthropology
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