Intuition in Science and Mathematics: An Educational Approach

✍ Scribed by Efraim Fischbein (auth.)

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 233
• Series: Mathematics Education Library 5
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

In writing the present book I have had in mind the following objectives: - To propose a theoretical, comprehensive view of the domain of intuition. - To identify and organize the experimental findings related to intuition scattered in a wide variety of research contexts. - To reveal the educational implications of the idea, developed for science and mathematics education. Most of the existing monographs in the field of intuition are mainly concerned with theoretical debates - definitions, philosophical attitudes, historical considerations. (See, especially the works of Wild (1938), of Bunge (1 962) and of Noddings and Shore (1 984).) A notable exception is the book by Westcott (1968), which combines theoretical analyses with the author’s own experimental studies. But, so far, no attempt has been made to identify systematically those findings, spread throughout the research literature, which could contribute to the deciphering of the mechanisms of intuition. Very often the relevant studies do not refer explicitly to intuition. Even when this term is used it occurs, usually, as a self-evident, common sense term.

✦ Table of Contents

Intuition and the Need for Certitude....Pages 3-14
Intuition and Mathematical Reasoning....Pages 15-27
Investigations in Overconfidence....Pages 28-42
General Characteristics of Intuitive Cognitions....Pages 43-56
The Classification of Intuitions....Pages 57-71
Inferential Intuitions and Logical Reasoning....Pages 72-81
Intuition and Experience....Pages 85-96
The Practicalyty of Intuitive Meanings, Analysis of an Example: The Negative Numbers....Pages 97-102
Factors of Immediacy....Pages 103-110
Factors of Globality....Pages 111-120
Intuition and Intuitive Models....Pages 121-126
Models and Analogies....Pages 127-142
Paradigmatic Models....Pages 143-153
Diagrammatic Models....Pages 154-166
Phenomenological Primitives....Pages 167-175
Conflicts and Compromises....Pages 176-192
Factors of Perseverance and Closure: The Primacy Effect....Pages 193-199
Summary and Didactical Implications....Pages 200-214

✦ Subjects

Mathematics Education