Categorization of the Tentativeness of Scientific Knowledge: A Document Analysis

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22600/1518-8795.ienci/2025v30n3p258

Keywords:

Tentativeness of Scientific Knowledge, Reliable Scientific Knowledge, Enduring Scientific Knowledge, Never Absolute Scientific Knowledge, Certain Scientific Knowledge

Abstract

Tentativeness of Scientific Knowledge (TdCC) is considered a category of Nature of Science (NOS), which attempts to capture the changing nature of scientific knowledge (K.K), conceived from different perspectives as Reliable, Durable, Never Absolute, and Questionable. For this reason, the purpose of this article is to identify and describe the subcategories that allow us to understand TdCC from the literature. Therefore, this research answers the following questions: What are the subcategories that allow us to understand TdCC? And what are the characteristics of the subcategories that allow us to understand TdCC? To this end, a documentary investigation was carried out, which sought to obtain, analyze, and compare information on the subject of study, the search for information was carried out through the analysis of the article "Conceptualization of the Nature of Science: The Development of Two Approaches," which enabled the extraction and analysis of twenty-five (25) articles, allowing for the recognition of the four (4) subcategories mentioned for TdCC. Based on this analysis, a conceptual and methodological contribution was generated in the HPS area, in the NOS line and in the TdCC category, because both students and teachers will develop an informed view of the tentative nature of scientific knowledge, promote reflections on the methods of doing science, improve understanding of the NOS construct as a critical component of scientific literacy, stimulate scientific interest, and show science as a human activity.

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Published

2025-12-24

How to Cite

Amaya-Martínez, F. A., Ayala-Villamil, L.-A., & García-Martínez, Álvaro. (2025). Categorization of the Tentativeness of Scientific Knowledge: A Document Analysis. Investigations in Science Education, 30(3), 258-280. https://doi.org/10.22600/1518-8795.ienci/2025v30n3p258