Evolution of Evolution of Complex Complex SystemsSystems
Lecture 12: The Evolution of Lecture 12: The Evolution of ScienceScience
Peter Andras / Bruce CharltonPeter Andras / Bruce Charlton
[email protected]@ncl.ac.uk
[email protected]@ncl.ac.uk
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ObjectivesObjectives
Science as a systemScience as a system Origins of scienceOrigins of science Memory, information subsystem and Memory, information subsystem and
identityidentity Specialisation and expansionSpecialisation and expansion Interpenetration and expansionInterpenetration and expansion Competition and selectionCompetition and selection Emerging sciencesEmerging sciences
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SocietySociety
System of human communicationsSystem of human communications Spoken, written, electronic Spoken, written, electronic
communicationscommunications
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ScienceScience
System of communications about System of communications about conclusions (continuations) that conclusions (continuations) that can be checked experimentally can be checked experimentally
Two sequence of communications Two sequence of communications that should lead to the same that should lead to the same continuationscontinuations
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Science and religionScience and religion
Religion: system of un-common Religion: system of un-common knowledgeknowledge
Religion and science compete to Religion and science compete to explain perceptions of the societyexplain perceptions of the society
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Science and educationScience and education
Education: the specialist Education: the specialist reproduction subsystem of the reproduction subsystem of the societysociety
Science is reproduced by Science is reproduced by education education higher education higher education
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Ancient scienceAncient science
GreeksGreeks RomansRomans ChineseChinese IndiansIndians Islam worldIslam world
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Early Christian scienceEarly Christian science
Middle agesMiddle ages Relatively primitive Relatively primitive
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Uncommon knowledgeUncommon knowledge
Religion: explaining what is Religion: explaining what is unexplainable in terms of common unexplainable in terms of common languagelanguage
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Practical knowledgePractical knowledge
Common knowledge about Common knowledge about practical problemspractical problems
Specialist practical knowledge Specialist practical knowledge expansionexpansion
E.g., masonry, surgeryE.g., masonry, surgery
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Writing and uncommon Writing and uncommon knowledgeknowledge
Written communicationsWritten communications Preservation of communications Preservation of communications
for later reference for later reference memory memory Interpretation in new context Interpretation in new context
memory processing memory processing information information subsystemsubsystem
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Systematic uncommon Systematic uncommon knowledgeknowledge
Analysing uncommon knowledgeAnalysing uncommon knowledge Writing allows longer derivationsWriting allows longer derivations Contradictions are found and solved Contradictions are found and solved
and the solutions are written downand the solutions are written down Note: monotheism Note: monotheism simplification simplification
expansion expansion elaborate elaborate uncommon knowledgeuncommon knowledge
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Science of uncommon Science of uncommon knowledgeknowledge
Theology: analysis, interpretation Theology: analysis, interpretation and continuation of uncommon and continuation of uncommon knowledgeknowledge
Schools of theology: monasteriesSchools of theology: monasteries
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Writing and practical Writing and practical knowledgeknowledge
Written communications about Written communications about practical knowledgepractical knowledge
Writing allows longer sequences of Writing allows longer sequences of continuing communicationscontinuing communications
Contradictions and solutions are Contradictions and solutions are foundfound
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Science of practical Science of practical knowledgeknowledge
Systematic organization of Systematic organization of practical knowledgepractical knowledge
E.g., ancient medicine, geometry, E.g., ancient medicine, geometry, masonry, geography, botany masonry, geography, botany textbookstextbooks
Schools of practical knowledge: Schools of practical knowledge: ancient philosophy schools, writing ancient philosophy schools, writing schools in Chinaschools in China
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The logic of scienceThe logic of science
TruthTruth What is true and what is not true What is true and what is not true
(false) according to the rules of the (false) according to the rules of the systematic knowledge (early systematic knowledge (early science) science) identity of the science identity of the science
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Early sciences as Early sciences as subsystemssubsystems
Uncommon and practical Uncommon and practical systematic knowledge systemssystematic knowledge systems
Subsystems of the corresponding Subsystems of the corresponding knowledge systemknowledge system
Defining logic (identity): Defining logic (identity): scientifically true / falsescientifically true / false
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EducationEducation
Reproduction of the society – Reproduction of the society – common knowledge basecommon knowledge base
Family education, religious Family education, religious education, practical knowledge education, practical knowledge educationeducation
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Education and theologyEducation and theology
Formalized education of Formalized education of uncommon knowledge to uncommon knowledge to reproduce the early science of reproduce the early science of theologytheology
More need in case of more More need in case of more extended uncommon knowledge extended uncommon knowledge systems (e.g., those built by systems (e.g., those built by monotheist religions)monotheist religions)
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Interpenetration: education Interpenetration: education and theologyand theology
New rules of education in New rules of education in conformity with the religion / conformity with the religion / theologytheology
New system: formal educationNew system: formal education Formal education and theology: Formal education and theology:
systematic reproduction and systematic reproduction and extension of theology extension of theology university university
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Interpenetration: formal Interpenetration: formal education and practical education and practical knowledgeknowledge
Similarities: written communications, Similarities: written communications, analysis, testing of conclusionsanalysis, testing of conclusions
Practical sciences change the Practical sciences change the contents of education (new contents of education (new communication rules)communication rules)
Education of practical sciences: Education of practical sciences: geometry, botany, geography, geometry, botany, geography, astrologyastrology
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Interpenetration: Interpenetration: experimental validationexperimental validation
Practical sciences: experimental Practical sciences: experimental validationvalidation
Science: truth checking by Science: truth checking by experimental validationexperimental validation
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Science emergingScience emerging
Boundary between practical Boundary between practical sciences, theology, educationsciences, theology, education
New system emerges: science with New system emerges: science with experimentally validated truth experimentally validated truth checkcheck
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Science of lawScience of law
Practical law practicePractical law practice Science of lawScience of law More variable than theologyMore variable than theology Early universitiesEarly universities
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Science of medicineScience of medicine
Practical anatomy, botany, surgery Practical anatomy, botany, surgery and theologyand theology
Science of medicine – Science of medicine – experimental checksexperimental checks
Early universitiesEarly universities
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PhilosophyPhilosophy
Ancient schools – early philosophyAncient schools – early philosophy Pure theology free of religion – Pure theology free of religion –
interfacing with practical sciencesinterfacing with practical sciences Early universitiesEarly universities
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Natural philosophyNatural philosophy
Practical sciences (geometry, Practical sciences (geometry, mechanics, astrology, alchemy, mechanics, astrology, alchemy, geography) and philosophygeography) and philosophy
Experimentally validated scienceExperimentally validated science 1616thth – 18 – 18thth century univerisities century univerisities
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PrintingPrinting
Reproduction of written text in Reproduction of written text in large amountlarge amount
Large scale availability of memory Large scale availability of memory for science communications for science communications expansion of the information expansion of the information subsystem of science = more subsystem of science = more possible to process memories of possible to process memories of earlier scientific communicationsearlier scientific communications
Explosive expansion of scienceExplosive expansion of science
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Subsystems of natural Subsystems of natural philosophyphilosophy
Mathematics, physics, chemistry, Mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomyastronomy
Specialist languages emerge, Specialist languages emerge, which define new subsystemswhich define new subsystems
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The environment of The environment of sciencescience
SocietySociety Science is about the society and its Science is about the society and its
environmentenvironment
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Competing sciencesCompeting sciences
Alchemy and chemistryAlchemy and chemistry Astrology and astronomyAstrology and astronomy Competition: which makes better Competition: which makes better
predictions and causes fewer predictions and causes fewer contradictions by making false contradictions by making false predictionspredictions
Contradictions (identity violations) Contradictions (identity violations) cause cutting back and reduce cause cutting back and reduce growthgrowth
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Selection of sciencesSelection of sciences
Sciences which grow faster are Sciences which grow faster are selected by the environmentselected by the environment
E.g., chemistry against alchemy, E.g., chemistry against alchemy, astronomy against astrologyastronomy against astrology
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Various formalismsVarious formalisms
1717thth – 18 – 18thth century mathematics, century mathematics, physicsphysics
Each school / scientist had its own Each school / scientist had its own formalismformalism
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Uniform formalismUniform formalism
1919thth century standardisation of century standardisation of mathematics formalismmathematics formalism
Simplification and expansionSimplification and expansion Interpenetration of mathematics Interpenetration of mathematics
and physics and physics uniform formalism uniform formalism for physics for physics expansion of physics expansion of physics
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Ways of expansionWays of expansion
Fast expansion at beginning: Fast expansion at beginning: building the new long descriptions building the new long descriptions (sequences of continuing (sequences of continuing communications)communications)
Slow expansion later: gap fillingSlow expansion later: gap filling
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New subsystemsNew subsystems
Structure imposed on Structure imposed on communicationscommunications
Institutional organisation: Institutional organisation: questioning the identity/existence questioning the identity/existence – conferences, academic – conferences, academic departments, scientific societies, departments, scientific societies, journalsjournals
New subsystems emergeNew subsystems emerge
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Interactions of systemsInteractions of systems
Interface of sciencesInterface of sciences Change of rulesChange of rules Change of boundariesChange of boundaries Questioning of interface systems Questioning of interface systems
new interface sciences – new new interface sciences – new identityidentity
E.g., theoretical biologyE.g., theoretical biology
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Other sciences: social Other sciences: social sciencessciences
Social philosophy Social philosophy science of the science of the societysociety
Branches: economics, political Branches: economics, political science, sociology, psychology science, sociology, psychology (individual communications)(individual communications)
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Other sciences: Other sciences: humanitieshumanities
Interfaces of philosophy with arts: Interfaces of philosophy with arts: literature, fine arts, musicliterature, fine arts, music
Integrated older sciences: Integrated older sciences: philosophy, lawphilosophy, law
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Other sciences: Other sciences: engineeringengineering
Interfaces of natural sciences Interfaces of natural sciences (descendants of natural (descendants of natural philosophy) and practical sciences: philosophy) and practical sciences: e.g., construction engineering, e.g., construction engineering, automotive engineering, automotive engineering, mechanical engineeringmechanical engineering
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Medical sciencesMedical sciences
Descendants of the science of Descendants of the science of medicinemedicine
E.g., neurology, dentistry, E.g., neurology, dentistry, cardiologycardiology
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New sciences: computer New sciences: computer sciencescience
Computer science: the science of Computer science: the science of describing and solving problemsdescribing and solving problems
Information sciences – the science Information sciences – the science of information systemsof information systems
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Summary – 1 Summary – 1
Origins of scienceOrigins of science Early sciences: early theology, Early sciences: early theology,
early practical sciencesearly practical sciences TheologyTheology Law, medicine, philosophy, natural Law, medicine, philosophy, natural
philosophyphilosophy Memory, information subsystem Memory, information subsystem
and identityand identity
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Summary – 2 Summary – 2
Interpenetration and interface sciencesInterpenetration and interface sciences Branches of natural philosophyBranches of natural philosophy Competition and selection of sciencesCompetition and selection of sciences Simplification and expansion of Simplification and expansion of
mathematics and physicsmathematics and physics Other sciencesOther sciences New sciencesNew sciences
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Q&A – 1 Q&A – 1
1.1. Is it true that theology was one of Is it true that theology was one of the early sciences ?the early sciences ?
2.2. Is it true that early theology was Is it true that early theology was a subsystem of religion ?a subsystem of religion ?
3.3. Is it true that the interpenetration Is it true that the interpenetration of education by theology led to of education by theology led to the emergence of formal the emergence of formal education ?education ?
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Q&A – 2 Q&A – 2
4. Is it true that the sciences of medicine and 4. Is it true that the sciences of medicine and law emerged independently from theology ?law emerged independently from theology ?
5. Is it true that philosophy emerged at the 5. Is it true that philosophy emerged at the interface of theology and practical sciences ?interface of theology and practical sciences ?
6. Is it true that natural philosophy emerged at 6. Is it true that natural philosophy emerged at the interface of medicine and philosophy ?the interface of medicine and philosophy ?
7. Is it true that astrology competed with 7. Is it true that astrology competed with mathematics ?mathematics ?
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Q&A – 3 Q&A – 3
8. Is it true that alchemy was out competed by 8. Is it true that alchemy was out competed by chemistry because the former produced more chemistry because the former produced more contradictions reducing its expansion capacity ?contradictions reducing its expansion capacity ?
9. Is it true that major expansion of mathematics 9. Is it true that major expansion of mathematics happened before the uniformisation of happened before the uniformisation of mathematical terminology ?mathematical terminology ?
10. Is it true that social sciences developed as 10. Is it true that social sciences developed as descendants of social philosophy ?descendants of social philosophy ?
11. Is it true that computer science is a new science 11. Is it true that computer science is a new science of problem and solution formulation ? Is it true of problem and solution formulation ? Is it true that it can be seen as a new kind of philosophy ?that it can be seen as a new kind of philosophy ?
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