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Ethical Issues in Science Curriculum—A Case of K-12 Biology Textbook

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Abstract

The chapter presents a critical content analysis of the K-12 Biology textbook with respect to the inclusion of Bioethical issues. Content analysis as a technique for analysis has been chosen to analyse the text. In simple terms, content analysis can be defined as the process of summarizing and reporting data, as well as the main concerns of that data and revealing hidden messages if any. The rationale behind writing this chapter is to highlight such areas and topics within the Biology Text where there could be some confluence of science, technology and Ethics as well as to critically analyse the textbook content for facilitating critical thinking and ethical understanding on the same.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Refer to Mary Anne Warren, ‘Abortion’, in Peter Singer (ed.) 1993, A Companion to Ethics, (Cambridge, MA: Blackwell): pp. 308–9.

  2. 2.

    For further readings refer to Schwartz, S. (1990). The Moral Question of Abortion. Loyola University Press. And Bayles, M. (April, 1990). Feminism and Abortion. Atlantic Monthly.

  3. 3.

    “The Back-Up Plan” in Hindustan Times: June 11, 2012, New Delhi.

  4. 4.

    Refer to Purkayastha, P. and Rath, S. (2010, May 15). Bt Brinjal: Need to Refocus the Debate. Economic and Political Weekly XLV (20), 4248.

  5. 5.

    Refer to “India says No to Bt-Brinjal”, retrieved from http://www.bhoomimatha.com/india-says-no-to-bt-brinjal/.

  6. 6.

    Rejection of indigenous methods of production, and following the suite of developed nations by adopting advanced agri-based technology, whether they comply with Indian climatology and topography or not. See Vaisavi, A. R. (2004). Suicides and the Making of India’s Agrarian Distress. National Institute of Advanced Studies, IISc Campus, Bangalore, India.

  7. 7.

    “Equality for Animals”, in Practical Ethics by Peter Singer, p. 64.

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Saxena, A. (2019). Ethical Issues in Science Curriculum—A Case of K-12 Biology Textbook. In: Ethics in Science. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9009-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-32-9009-9_3

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