An analysis of Electricity History present in textbooks: Benjamin Franklin s case

Abstract

This work analyzes how history of electricity is presented in textbooks for Fundamental and Secondary Schools. In particular it analyzes how Benjamin Franklin s studies on electricity are described by these books taking into account the quality of historical information and ideas on the nature of Science conveyed by these historical narratives. We found that history of Science presented in the analyzed textbooks is superficial, with many historiographic mistakes, and brings erroneous views on the nature of Science and its method that do not correspond to the current epistemological knowledge. Usually these narratives reinforce the idea of the existence of genius minds, value only the currently accepted scientific knowledge and transmit the empirical inductivist views on the scientific dynamics.