The epistemological works of Gaston Bachelard (1884- 1962), written and published between 1928 and 1953 try to make traditional philosophers of science aware of the discontinuous structure of scientific change and the dynamics of the scientific mind. Bachelard often argued that the historical and technical progress of the sciences show that the purely descriptive and classificatory features of past science are sooner or later substituted for epistemic models which rely mainly upon the scientist’s power to technically construct the objects of scientific inquiry. The relationships that Bachelard saw between scientists, theories, experimentation, and scientific technology in science led him to coin the philosophical concept of ‘'phenomenotechnique.' This concept reflects the historically contingent, artificial, constructed, social character of both scientific knowledge and scientific entities. Bachelard claimed the instruments are materialized theories. Just like mathematics, they are products of technique. Technique, on the other hand, is the rational expression of the scientist’s world view. Scientific knowledge is what ends up being technically objectified in scientific instrumentation. Groups such as the social constructivists argue that ‘phenomenotechnique’ expresses their own claims regarding the strictly rhetorical nature of science. However, to Bachelard, the presuppositions behind the concept preserve the rational essence of scientific thought. ‘Phenomenotechnique’ is one of the most potentially rich concepts that Bachelard has to offer to contemporary science studies. The purpose of this dissertation is to offer a full account of the history and implications of ‘phenomenotechnique.’ Part I is an explanatory analysis of the concept as it appears in all the epistemological works of Gaston Bachelard. It also shows how ‘phenomenotechnique’ relates with other Bachelardian concepts such as ‘technical materialism,’ ‘epistemological rupture,’ ‘psychoanalysis of scientific thought,’ ’applied materialism,’ and ‘social consensus.’ Part II deals with the intellectual and scientific context of France in the first half of the twentieth century which led Bachelard to coin the term. Finally, Part III will attempt to incorporate ’phenomenotechnique’ into today’s science studies. / Ph. D.

There is little attention and consensus in science education for gifted learners, leading to insufficient support and understanding of their needs, which hinders their potential development as future scientists and professionals. Utilizing a narrative research design, the study explores the experiences of nine scientists identified as gifted in childhood, through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and document reviews. The research addresses three pivotal questions: (1) How do scientists, who were identified as gifted in their childhood, navigate their gifted identity from childhood to adulthood, and how does this affect their social relationships and self-perception? (2) How do scientists, who were identified as gifted in their childhood, perceive and describe the critical elements that contribute to their exceptional performance? (3) How do scientists, who were identified as gifted in their childhood, reflect on the impact of their K-12 science education on their development and career choice? Findings reveal that participants’ exceptional performance in science was influenced by various factors such as individual abilities, family background, motivation, support, opportunities, and luck, and education. The impact of K-12 science education varied, with dissatisfaction in early years due to a lack of challenging curriculum, but more satisfaction in high school due to advanced classes and programs. These insights contribute to the development of educational policies and programs that better meet the needs of gifted learners in science, ultimately helping them to realize their full potential as future scientists and professionals.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current methods of teaching and the available science material for the teaching of elementary science in order to prepare a proposed plan of instruction for the seventh and eighth grades of Jefferson School for the 1941-1942 school year.

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