The Challenge of Practice: Einstein, Technological Development and Conceptual Innovation (original) (raw)
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On the science-technology relationship: a historical view
175-187, in: Building Bridges. Connecting Science, Technology and Philosophy. Eds.: H. de Regt and C. Kwa, VU University Press, Amsterdam, 2014, 2014
A clear distinction between natural things ("that […] exist by nature") and otherartificial-things ("which are not constituted by nature") is a key issue in the Aristotelian philosophy of nature. See e.g. Aristotle, he Physics with an English Translation, trans. P.H. Wicksteed and F.M. Cornford, I-II. vols. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, and London: Heinemann, ), b, vol. I. . Hans Radder, In and About the World. Philosophical Studies of Science and Technology, (Albany: State University of New York Press, ), .
The Relationship between Science and Technology and Evolution in Methods of Knowledge Production
Indian Journal of History of Science
The concept of knowledge for the sake of knowledge was practiced by many philosophers considering knowledge as civilising and to have intrinsic values. A utilitarian case for knowledge was made during 13 th century; however, science and engineering continued to follow parallel trajectories. Pursuit of technology intensified with the availability of energy from coal on a large scale during the 18 th century, and during the 19 th century, some scientists started pursuing engineering (increasingly called technology) with an eye for the use of science in practice. Some were members of both communities and worked as scientists-engineers or engineer-scientists. Gradually technology became a mirror-image of science with its norms, practices and journals, and science & technology are now fully intertwined. After the second world war, a linear model stating that basic science leads to technological development was proposed. It was challenged by the reverse linear model emphasising that new scientific possibilities are created by technology. During recent decades, several models analysing relationship between science and technology have been proposed and these are non-hierarchical. Increased understanding of the relationship between science and technology, acceleration in knowledge production, and a squeeze on funding of research by Governments has changed methods of knowledge production. This paper analyses the relationship, presents a modified version of an existing representation of the relationship, and explains the characteristics of current methods of knowledge production.
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This paper outlines mainly Thomas Kuhn's view of the development of scientific ideas as more revolution (radical change) rather than evolution (continuous change). Therefore, the presentation in this paper contains a discussion of Karl Popper's classical mind which views science as cumulative, unified, and linear, which is further contrasted with the thought of Thomas Kuhn who views science developing through a process of revolution, fundamental changes that are different from before. This paper then further elaborates on the structure of Thomas Kuhn's scientific revolution, involving major concepts on Kuhn's structure of scientific revolution covering paradigms, normal science anomalies, paradigm shift, etc.
Science and Technology: What They Are and Why Their Relation Matters
The Role of Technology in Science: Philosophical Perspectives, 2015
The relationship(s) between science and technology can be conceived in different ways depending on how each of the two concepts is defined. This chapter traces them both back to the medieval tradition of knowledge classification and its notions of science and mechanical arts. Science can be defined either in the limited sense of the English language or in a broader sense that includes the humanities. It is argued that the latter approach provides a more adequate delimitation from an epistemological point of view. The word "technology" can refer either to knowledge about practical activities with tools and machines (a common sense in German and many other languages) or to these activities, tools, and machines themselves (the common sense of the word in English). Based on conceptual clarifications of the two concepts, four classes of philosophically interesting questions about sciencetechnology relationships are outlined: (1) the relation between science in general and technological science, (2) the role of science in technological practice, (3) the role of technological practice in science, and (4) the relationship between science and the Aristotelian notion of productive arts (that is more general than the notion of technological practice).