Philosophy in (or of?) Education: A case in Electrical Circuits

Philosophy is an activity that philosophers do and in which they commit with the purpose of finding the truth through reason by stepping back and asking the following questions: How do I verify that the results obtained are reliable? Will there be another methodology to obtain results that validate or refute the experiments? Is a theory correct if it was demonstrated using mathematics and calculus? Can a data be refuted or affirmed using other methods?

I have seen with great curiosity the following: Every time I send an exercise guide to my students, they always criticize me the fact that the guide does not have the results of the proposed exercises. My answer has always been: Do not doubt your results, be sure of what you do. Of course, for a student this does not say anything, they still want the answer of the exercise to see if their result is good, only then, they will be sure of what they do.

Well, let's apply philosophy on this topic with an example: When we solve a circuit of one loop, consisting of a power source and three resistors connected in series, for example, we start by calculating the total circuit current, the student wants to know if his result is correct. It is there where the philosopher makes him see that he must doubt his result, which is not bad, and look for a method that will help him verify the veracity of his result. For that we must go to the theoretical foundations, read and interpret the theoretical bases of the circuits connected in series.

In a series circuit, if we add the voltages of all the resistances, this sum must be equal to the power supply of the circuit, with which the law of Kirchhoff voltages arises. Therefore, if the law of voltages says that the algebraic sum of all the voltages of a loop is equal to zero, then I must calculate the voltage at each resistor and summed each must be equal to the voltage supplied by the source, it is telling:

V₁ + V₂ + V₃ = V_T Þ (V₁ + V₂ + V₃) – V_T = 0

So, if in our calculation this happens, we will be, not only validating our result, we will also be checking the Kirchhoff Voltages Law and acquiring a basic knowledge in Electricity.

The circuit current can be calculated with Ohm's Law, it goes like this:

I = Vt/Rt = 10 V/(3 + 2 + 5) = 1 Ampere

Let's see, if you doubt its result, which is fine, you can use the characteristics of a circuit in serial connection, namely:

The current is constant throughout the circuit (It is the same in all three resistors)

The sum of the voltages of each resistance is equal to the source voltage

The total resistance of the circuit or equivalent, is the sum of all the resistors of the circuit

To be sure that our current calculation is correct, let's calculate the voltage at each of the circuit resistors, let's use Ohm's Law, that is: V = RxI

As they are connected in series, the circuit current is constant, 1 Ampere and therefore the voltage at each resistor is: V₁ = 2×1 = 2 V, V₂ = 3×1 = 3 V and V₃ = 5×1 = 5 V, therefore, if

we add the three calculated voltages we will get 2 + 3 + 5 = 10 Volts, which is the voltage generated by the power source of the circuit.

At this time, you check the Kirchhoff voltages law and validate the calculation of its current, on the other hand, if it goes beyond the proposed circuit model, we can conclude that in any electrical generation system the total energy supplied is distributes in all the elements that make up this system. If a generation system is powered by 220 Volts, it (generation system) cannot have a voltage greater than that of the generation source at any specific point in my electrical system, imagine in your home where all the plugs have a voltage of 220 V and you connect a load that works with 380 V. (What could be wrong?)

Now imagine applying this way of solving a power grid to a more complex one, with more loops or nodes, you can always go beyond running a few simple calculations, if you want to eliminate that dependence of solving exercises with a solutionary next to it, step back and always try look for the theory on which your study objectives are based, look for checking the law or theory with your results and that is a way to verify that you are applying the correct methods to solve electrical circuits.

That is why philosophizing in education is very important, allows the student to go beyond what he or she has in a simple calculation, forces him to think and in this way acquires the knowledge that can be useful in the development of his academic career. Our current reality, where the student has everything within reach of an app, wants the same thing to happen in their basic, secondary or university studies.

There is no magic pill where knowledge is acquired immediately, knowledge is acquired by reading, it is acquired wondering where the reading is coming from, finally, always questioning, doubt is the beginning and in the end the result is satisfactory.