A Teoria Gaia é um conteúdo legítimo no ensino médio de Ciências?

Abstract

Gaia theory claims that the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere are connected by feedback loops in a cybernetic system that maintains Earth's physicochemical environment habitable for living beings. Should this theory be introduced into scientific school knowledge? In this paper, we analyze whether the inclusion of Gaia theory in science education is endowed or not with social and epistemological legitimacy, from the perspective of a discussion about the construction of school knowledge, an analysis of proposals for introducing Gaia in formal and non-formal education, and an analysis of its scientific status under the light of the methodology of scientific research programs, proposed by the legitimacy, and can contribute to an interdisciplinary approach to contents generally addressed in ecology teaching, to the treatment of environmental themes that connect different disciplines, and to the understanding of the nature of science.