A Study of Dealing with Ethical Aspects of Decision Making: Perspectives from the Pedagogical Contexts of Disaster Prevention Education and Resource Education

Abstract

An aim of science education is to develop attitudes that enable students to make judgments based on scientific evidence, and to make wiser decisions. Particularly in the case of issues involving nature and human beings, it is not sufficient to consider the scientific aspects of the issues, and decision-making that includes the social spheres is necessary. We considered the contexts in which resource education and disaster prevention education are treated and discussed in the context of the development of attitudes toward ethical aspects. In conclusion, there are two possible ways of dealing with ethical aspects of resource and disaster prevention education as following: (1) Conflicts and concessions between decisions based on scientific evidence from scientists and from various values by citizens, and (2) Discussion and comprehensive thinking and judgment based on various values obtained from cross-curricular approaches based upon objective facts and scientific judgments. It is suggested that considering the ethical aspects of science and society is effective in clarifying the boundary between knowledge of/in science and knowledge about science, and in helping individuals to make decisions.