10.5281/ZENODO.4009171
Kollosche, David
David
Kollosche
0000-0003-1055-2418
University of Klagenfurt
Styles of reasoning for mathematics education
Zenodo
2021
Styles of reasoning
Truth
Fake news
Post-factualism
Epistemology
Mathematics education
2021-02-19
en
https://zenodo.org/record/4552378
10.1007/s10649-021-10046-z
10.5281/zenodo.4009172
10.5281/zenodo.4552378
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Open Access
<p>Although reasoning is a central concept in mathematics education research, the discipline is still in need of a coherent theory of mathematical reasoning. With respect to epistemological problems in the dominant discourses on proof, mathematical modelling, and post-truth politics in the discipline, and in accordance with trends in the philosophy of mathematics and in mathematics education research in general, it is argued that it is necessary to give a relativist account mathematical reasoning. Hacking’s framework of styles of reasoning is introduced as a possible solution. This framework distinguished between at least six different styles of reasoning, many of which are closely connected to mathematics, and argues that these frameworks define what we accept as decidable assertions, as justifications for such assertions, and as possible objects of such assertions. The articles end with a discussion of the implications of the framework for chosen fields of mathematics education research, which may motivate more focussed studies in the future.</p>