DOCSLIB.ORG

Introduction to Philosophy of Science

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Introduction to Philosophy of Science INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE The aim of philosophy of science is to understand what scientists did and how they did it, where history of science shows that they performed basic research very well. Therefore to achieve this aim, philosophers look back to the great achievements in the evolution of modern science that started with the Copernicus with greater emphasis given to more recent accomplishments. The earliest philosophy of science in the last two hundred years is Romanticism, which started as a humanities discipline and was later adapted to science as a humanities specialty. The Romantics view the aim of science as interpretative understanding, which is a mentalistic ontology acquired by introspection. They call language containing this ontology “theory”. The most successful science sharing in the humanities aim is economics, but since the development of econometrics that enables forecasting and policy, the humanities aim is mixed with the natural science aim of prediction and control. Often, however, econometricians have found that successful forecasting by econometric models must be purchased at the price of rejecting equation specifications based on the interpretative understanding supplied by neoclassical macroeconomic and microeconomic theory. In this context the term “economic theory” means precisely such neoclassical equation specifications. Aside from economics Romanticism has little relevance to the great accomplishments in the history of science, because its concept of the aim of science has severed it from the benefits of the examination of the history of science. The Romantic philosophy of social science is still resolutely practiced in immature sciences such as sociology, where mentalistic description prevails, where quantification and prediction are seldom attempted, and where implementation in social policy is seldom effective and often counterproductive. Positivism followed Romanticism. Many Positivists were physicists, who took physics as the paradigm of the empirical sciences, and several wrote histories of physics. Positivism is practiced in behaviorist Copyright 2005 by Thomas J. Hickey INTRODUCTION psychology, but has negligible representation in any of the social sciences. The term “theory” in the Positivist philosophy of science means language referring to entities or phenomena that are not directly observable. On this meaning the term includes the Romantic concept of “theory”, which refers to the covert and introspectively acquired mental experience rejected by behaviorists. Theory is also defined in opposition to observation language, which serves as the logical reduction basis that enables theory language to be both empirically acceptable and semantically meaningful. Positivism originated as a reaction against Romanticism, and purported to be more adequate to the history of science, even if its reductionism agenda made it remote from the practice of basic research. Pragmatism followed Positivism. The contemporary Pragmatism’s ascendancy over Positivism was occasioned by philosophers’ reflection on the modern quantum theory in microphysics. There have been numerous revolutionary developments in science, but none since Newton’s mechanics has had an impact on philosophy of science comparable to the development of quantum theory. Its impact on philosophy has been even greater than Einstein’s relativity theory, which occasioned Popper’s effective critique of Positivism. Initially several of the essential insights of contemporary Pragmatism were articulated by one of the originators of the quantum theory, Heisenberg, who reinterpreted the observed tracks of the electron in the Wilson cloud chamber, and who also practiced scientific realism. Many years later Heisenberg’s ideas were taken up and further developed by academic philosophers in several leading American universities, and it is now the ascendant philosophy of science in the United States. Contemporary Pragmatism contains several new ideas. Firstly by introducing reciprocity between truth and meaning the Pragmatists philosophers, following the physicists Einstein and Heisenberg, dispensed with the naturalistic observation-theory semantics, thereby undercutting the observation-language reduction base essential to Positivism. Pragmatists substituted a relativistic semantics for the Positivists’ naturalistic primitive observation semantics, thereby revising the meanings of “theory” and “observation”, to recognize their functions in basic research science. Secondly by relativizing semantics, they also relativized ontology thereby removing it from the criteria for scientific criticism. The intended outcome of this development was recognition of the absolute priority of empirical criteria in scientific criticism, in order to account for physicists’ acceptance of quantum theory with its distinctively counterintuitive ontology of duality. A related outcome was a new philosophy of science with which to reexamine retrospectively the previous great achievements in the history of Copyright 2005 by Thomas J. Hickey 2 INTRODUCTION science. Feyerabend for example found that Galileo had revised his observation language when defending the Copernican heliocentric theory, something unthinkable to the Positivists. The implications of ontological relativity are fundamentally devastating for both Romanticism and Positivism, both of which are defined in terms of prior ontological commitments. For the Pragmatist no ontology may function as a criterion for scientific criticism, because ontological commitment is consequent upon empirical testing, and is produced by a nonfalsifying test outcome that warrants belief in the tested theory. Neither “theory”, “law” nor “explanation” are defined in terms of any prior ontology, semantics, or subject matter, but rather are defined in terms of their functioning in basic research: “theory” is any universally quantified statement proposed for empirical testing; “scientific law” is any empirically tested and currently nonfalsified theory; “explanation” is a deduction concluding to either a description of particular events or to another universal law statement. Thus the Pragmatist can accept but does not require the Romantic’s mentalistic description, and he can accept but does not require the Positivist’s nonmentalist description. As the contemporary Pragmatism has been achieving its ascendancy, a new approach – computational philosophy of science – has emerged as a specialty in a new school of psychology called “cognitive psychology.” Computational philosophy of science is less a new philosophy and more a new analytical technique enabled by the computer, and its appearance was not occasioned by a new revolutionary development in science; quantum theory is still the touchstone for contemporary philosophy of science. Cognitive psychology considers its subject to be conceptual representations, and there emerged a psychologistic turn, which was occasioned in part by rejection of the nominalist philosophy of language that some philosophers such as Quine have carried forward from Positivism into Pragmatism. But nominalism is not integral to Pragmatism; conceptualism is perfectly consistent with the contemporary Pragmatism. The computational approach is a new analytical technique occasioned by the emergence of computer technology compatible with the contemporary Pragmatism, much as the symbolic logic was once a new analytical technique compatible with Positivism and produced Logical Positivism. The computational analytical technique has already yielded many interesting re-examinations of past revolutionary episodes in the history of science. Its promise for the future – already realized in a few cases – is fruitful contributions to the advancement of contemporary science. A computational Pragmatist philosophy of science clearly seems destined to be the agenda for the twenty-first century. Copyright 2005 by Thomas J. Hickey 3 INTRODUCTION Organizational Overview There are four basic topics in modern philosophy of science: 1 The institutionalized value system of modern science, also called the aim of science. 2 Scientific discovery, also known as new theory development. 3 Scientific criticism, especially the criteria used for the acceptance or rejection of theories. 4 Scientific explanation, the end product of basic science. Theories, laws and explanations are linguistic artifacts. Therefore philosophy of language is integral to philosophy of science. There have been several philosophical approaches to language and to science in the twentieth century: Romanticism, Positivism, contemporary Pragmatism, and psychologistic computational philosophy of science. The last is more a technique than a philosophy. The following discussion therefore begins with a brief overview of each of the philosophical approaches, and then proceeds to the examination of the elements of philosophy of language. Finally with this background the four topics are examined in the order listed above. Romanticism The earliest of these philosophies is Romanticism, which is still widely represented today in the social sciences including neoclassical economics and sociology. This philosophy had its origins in the German Idealist philosophies of Kant and Hegel, although the Idealist philosophies are of purely antiquarian interest to philosophers of science today. But contemporary Romantics carry forward the Idealist thesis that there is a fundamental distinction between sciences of nature and sciences of culture. According to the Romantics any valid and “causal”
Load more

Recommended publications
  • History of Science (HIST SCI) 1
    History of Science (HIST SCI) 1 HIST SCI 133 — BIOLOGY AND SOCIETY, 1950 - TODAY HISTORY OF SCIENCE (HIST 3 credits. From medical advancements to environmental crises and global food SCI) shortages, the life sciences are implicated in some of the most pressing social issues of our time. This course explores events in the history of biology from the mid-twentieth century to today, and examines how HIST SCI/ENVIR ST/HISTORY 125 — GREEN SCREEN: ENVIRONMENTAL developments in this science have shaped and are shaped by society. In PERSPECTIVES THROUGH FILM the first unit, we investigate the origins of the institutions, technologies, 3 credits. and styles of practice that characterize contemporary biology, such From Teddy Roosevelt's 1909 African safari to the Hollywood blockbuster as the use of mice as "model organisms" for understanding human King Kong, from the world of Walt Disney to The March of the Penguins, diseases. The second unit examines biological controversies such as the cinema has been a powerful force in shaping public and scientific introduction of genetically modified plants into the food supply. The final understanding of nature throughout the twentieth and twenty-first unit asks how biological facts and theories have been and continue to be century. How can film shed light on changing environmental ideas and used as a source for understanding ourselves. Enroll Info: None beliefs in American thought, politics, and culture? And how can we come Requisites: None to see and appreciate contested issues of race, class, and gender in Course Designation: Breadth - Either Humanities or Social Science nature on screen? This course will explore such questions as we come Level - Elementary to understand the role of film in helping to define the contours of past, L&S Credit - Counts as Liberal Arts and Science credit in L&S present, and future environmental visions in the United States, and their Repeatable for Credit: No impact on the real world struggles of people and wildlife throughout the Last Taught: Spring 2021 world.
    [Show full text]
  • Science Serving the Nation, Impact of Basic Research
    Science Serving the Nation The Impact of Basic Research Basic Energy Sciences Science Serving the Nation The Impact of Basic Research Basic Energy Sciences BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES ENERGY ENVIRONMENT SECURITY MATERIALS SCIENCES ENGINEERING CHEMICAL GEOSCIENCES BIOSCIENCES RESEARCH UNDERSTAND PREDICT CONTROL MATTER ENERGY This document highlights the breadth of the scientific programs and the impact of this research in commerce and in advancing scientific frontiers. To look in more detail at our research portfolio and see how we manage our programs, consult our BES 2011 Summary Report, available at http://science.energy.gov/~/media/bes/pdf/reports/files/bes2011sr_rpt.pdf. Additional information about the impact of BES research can be found on our website at http://science.energy.gov/bes/. New highlights showcasing the benefits of BES programs are frequently posted to the web as they arise. Our user facility brochure (http://science.energy.gov/~/media/bes/suf/pdf/BES_Facilities.pdf) contains additional information on all of the BES national scientific user facilities. Energy technologies, environmental tech- nologies, and national security all depend on the progress of basic science research. By understanding, predicting, and ulti- mately controlling matter and energy at the level of electrons, atoms, and molecules, scientists have the capacity to transform the technologies we use in everyday life. From Fundamental Science to Energy Technology Basic Energy Sciences (BES) supports the science that is the foundation for new technologies essential to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) missions in energy, environment, and national security. We are one of the Nation’s leading sponsors of fundamental research across broad areas of materials sciences and engineering, chemical sciences, geosciences, and biosciences.
    [Show full text]
  • Theory and Reality
    an introduction to the philosophy of science ........................................................... SCIENCE AND ITS CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS A SERIES EDITED BY DAVID L. HULL THEORY AND REALITY ........................................................... Peter Godfrey-Smith is associate professor of philosophy and of his­ tory and philosophy of science at Stanford University. He is the author PETER GODFREY-SMITH of Complexity and the Function ofMind in Nature. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago 60637 The University of Chicago Press, Ltd., London © 2003 by The University of Chicago All rights reserved. Published 2003 Printed in the United States of America 12 II 100908 45 ISBN: 0-226-30062-5 (cloth) ISBN: 0-226-30063-3 (paper) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and reality: an introduction to the philosophy of science I Peter Godfrey-Smith. p. cm. - (Science and its conceptual foundations) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-226-30062-5 (alk. paper) - ISBN 0-226-30063-3 (pbk. : alk. The University of Chicago Press / Chicago and London paper) I. Science-Philosophy. I. Title. II. Series. QI75 .G596 2003 501-dc2I 2002155305 @ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences-Perma­ nence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. 56 Chapter Three Later (especially in chapter 14) I will return to these problems. But in the next chapter we will look at a philosophy that gets a good part of its motivation from the frustrations discussed in this chapter. Further Reading 4...................................................................................... Once again, Hempel's Aspects ofScientific Explanation (1965) is a key source, con­ Popper: Conjecture and Refutation taining a long (and exhausting) chapter on confirmation.
    [Show full text]
  • What Is That Thing Called Philosophy of Technology? - R
    HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY – Vol. IV - What Is That Thing Called Philosophy of Technology? - R. J. Gómez WHAT IS THAT THING CALLED PHILOSOPHY OF TECHNOLOGY? R. J. Gómez Department of Philosophy. California State University (LA). USA Keywords: Adorno, Aristotle, Bunge, Ellul, Feenberg, Habermas, Heidegger, Horkheimer, Jonas, Latour, Marcuse, Mumford, Naess, Shrader-Frechette, artifact, assessment, determinism, ecosophy, ends, enlightenment, efficiency, epistemology, enframing, ideology, life-form, megamachine, metaphysics, method, naturalistic, fallacy, new, ethics, progress, rationality, rule, science, techno-philosophy Contents 1. Introduction 2. Locating technology with respect to science 2.1. Structure and Content 2.2. Method 2.3. Aim 2.4. Pattern of Change 3. Locating philosophy of technology 4. Early philosophies of technology 4.1. Aristotelianism 4.2. Technological Pessimism 4.3. Technological Optimism 4.4. Heidegger’s Existentialism and the Essence of Technology 4.5. Mumford’s Megamachinism 4.6. Neomarxism 4.6.1. Adorno-Horkheimer 4.6.2. Marcuse 4.6.3. Habermas 5. Recent philosophies of technology 5.1. L. Winner 5.2. A. Feenberg 5.3. EcosophyUNESCO – EOLSS 6. Technology and values 6.1. Shrader-Frechette Claims 6.2. H Jonas 7. Conclusions SAMPLE CHAPTERS Glossary Bibliography Biographical Sketch Summary A philosophy of technology is mainly a critical reflection on technology from the point of view of the main chapters of philosophy, e.g., metaphysics, epistemology and ethics. Technology has had a fast development since the middle of the 20th century , especially ©Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS) HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY – Vol. IV - What Is That Thing Called Philosophy of Technology? - R.
    [Show full text]
  • The Philosophical Underpinnings of Educational Research
    The Philosophical Underpinnings of Educational Research Lindsay Mack Abstract This article traces the underlying theoretical framework of educational research. It outlines the definitions of epistemology, ontology and paradigm and the origins, main tenets, and key thinkers of the 3 paradigms; positivist, interpetivist and critical. By closely analyzing each paradigm, the literature review focuses on the ontological and epistemological assumptions of each paradigm. Finally the author analyzes not only the paradigm’s weakness but also the author’s own construct of reality and knowledge which align with the critical paradigm. Key terms: Paradigm, Ontology, Epistemology, Positivism, Interpretivism The English Language Teaching (ELT) field has moved from an ad hoc field with amateurish research to a much more serious enterprise of professionalism. More teachers are conducting research to not only inform their teaching in the classroom but also to bridge the gap between the external researcher dictating policy and the teacher negotiating that policy with the practical demands of their classroom. I was a layperson, not an educational researcher. Determined to emancipate myself from my layperson identity, I began to analyze the different philosophical underpinnings of each paradigm, reading about the great thinkers’ theories and the evolution of social science research. Through this process I began to examine how I view the world, thus realizing my own construction of knowledge and social reality, which is actually quite loose and chaotic. Most importantly, I realized that I identify most with the critical paradigm assumptions and that my future desired role as an educational researcher is to affect change and challenge dominant social and political discourses in ELT.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rhetoric of Positivism Versus Interpretivism: a Personal View1
    Weber/Editor’s Comments EDITOR’S COMMENTS The Rhetoric of Positivism Versus Interpretivism: A Personal View1 Many years ago I attended a conference on interpretive research in information systems. My goal was to learn more about interpretive research. In my Ph.D. education, I had studied primarily positivist research methods—for example, experiments, surveys, and field studies. I knew little, however, about interpretive methods. I hoped to improve my knowledge of interpretive methods with a view to using them in due course in my research work. A plenary session at the conference was devoted to a panel discussion on improving the acceptance of interpretive methods within the information systems discipline. During the session, a number of speakers criticized positivist research harshly. Many members in the audience also took up the cudgel to denigrate positivist research. If any other positivistic researchers were present at the session beside me, like me they were cowed. None of us dared to rise and speak in defence of positivism. Subsequently, I came to understand better the feelings of frustration and disaffection that many early interpretive researchers in the information systems discipline experienced when they attempted to publish their work. They felt that often their research was evaluated improperly and treated unfairly. They contended that colleagues who lacked knowledge of interpretive research methods controlled most of the journals. As a result, their work was evaluated using criteria attuned to positivism rather than interpretivism. My most-vivid memory of the panel session, however, was my surprise at the way positivism was being characterized by my colleagues in the session.
    [Show full text]
  • Theory of Change and Organizational Development Strategy INTRODUCTION Dear Reader
    Theory of Change and Organizational Development Strategy INTRODUCTION Dear Reader: The Fetzer Institute was founded in 1986 by John E. Fetzer with a vision of a transformed world, powered by love, in which all people can flourish. Our current mission, adopted in 2016, is to help build the spiritual foundation for a loving world. Over the past several years, we have been identifying and exploring new ways to make our vision of a loving world a reality. One aspect of this work has been the development of a new conceptual frame resulting in a comprehensive Theory of Change. This document aspires to ground our work for the next 25 years. Further, this in-depth articulation of our vision allows us to invite thought leaders across disciplines to help sharpen our thinking. This document represents a moment when many strands of work and planning by the Institute board and staff came together in a very powerful way that enabled us to articulate our Theory of Change. However, this is a dynamic, living document, and we encourage you to read it as such. For example, we are actively developing detailed goals and action plans, and we continue to examine our conceptual frame, even as we make common cause with all who are working toward a shared and transformative sacred story for humanity in the 21st century. We continue to use our Theory of Change to focus our work, inspire and grow our partnerships, and identify the most pressing needs in our world. I look forward to your feedback and invite you to learn about how our work is coming alive in the world through our program strategies, initiatives, and stories at Fetzer.org.
    [Show full text]
  • Outline of Science
    Outline of science The following outline is provided as a topical overview of • Empirical method – science: • Experimental method – The steps involved in order Science – systematic effort of acquiring knowledge— to produce a reliable and logical conclusion include: through observation and experimentation coupled with logic and reasoning to find out what can be proved or 1. Asking a question about a natural phenomenon not proved—and the knowledge thus acquired. The word 2. Making observations of the phenomenon “science” comes from the Latin word “scientia” mean- 3. Forming a hypothesis – proposed explanation ing knowledge. A practitioner of science is called a for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a "scientist". Modern science respects objective logical rea- scientific hypothesis, the scientific method re- soning, and follows a set of core procedures or rules in or- quires that one can test it. Scientists generally der to determine the nature and underlying natural laws of base scientific hypotheses on previous obser- the universe and everything in it. Some scientists do not vations that cannot satisfactorily be explained know of the rules themselves, but follow them through with the available scientific theories. research policies. These procedures are known as the 4. Predicting a logical consequence of the hy- scientific method. pothesis 5. Testing the hypothesis through an experiment – methodical procedure carried out with the 1 Essence of science goal of verifying, falsifying, or establishing the validity of a hypothesis. The 3 types of
    [Show full text]
  • Recommendations from the Academic Futures Working Group On
    Recommendations from the Academic Futures Working Group on Interdisciplinary Education, Research and Creative Works Released to campus October 1, 2019 University of Colorado Boulder Table of Contents I. Background and Philosophy B. Interdisciplinarity, the Public University, and Serving the Public Good C. Campus Perspectives on Interdisciplinarity II. Interdisciplinarity in Teaching and Research A. Bringing Interdisciplinarity Front and Center B. Creating the Continuum of Interdisciplinary Education C. Interdisciplinary Research and Scholarship: Building on our Existing Interdisciplinary Strengths III. Creating sustainability and taking on our challenges IV. Creating a Budgetary Model for Campus that Supports Interdisciplinarity V. Conclusion 1 University of Colorado Boulder Committee Members Jim White, Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences (Lead) Waleed Abdalati, Director, CIRES and Professor, Geography, College of Arts and Sciences Max Boykoff, Associate Professor, ENVS/CIRES; Director, Center for Science and Technology Policy Andrew Calabrese, Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Research, Professor of Media Studies, CMCI Margaret C. Campbell, Provost Professor of Marketing, Leeds School of Business Sharon Collinge, Professor, ENVS, College of Arts and Sciences Jackie Elliott, Associate Professor and Chair, Classics Oliver Gerland, Associate Professor, Theatre & Dance; Interim Director of the Humanities program Larry Levine, Associate Vice Chancellor for IT and CIO, Office of Information Technology Jana Milford, Professor,
    [Show full text]
  • Sociology One Course in Upper Level Writing
    North Dakota State University 1 ENGL 120 College Composition II 3 Sociology One Course in Upper Level Writing. Select one of the following: 3 ENGL 320 Business and Professional Writing Sociology is the scientific study of social structure, social inequality, social ENGL 324 Writing in the Sciences change, and social interaction that comprise societies. The sociological ENGL 358 Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences perspective examines the broad social context in which people live. This context shapes our beliefs and attitudes and sets guidelines for what we ENGL 459 Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal do. COMM 110 Fundamentals of Public Speaking 3 Quantitative Reasoning (R): The curriculum is structured to introduce majors to the sociology STAT 330 Introductory Statistics 3 discipline and provide them with conceptual and practical tools to understand social behavior and societies. Areas of study include small Science & Technology (S): 10 groups, populations, inequality, diversity, gender, social change, families, A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general community development, organizations, medical sociology, aging, and education science/technology course unless the course includes an the environment. embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course. Select from current general education list. The 38-credit requirement includes the following core: Humanities & Fine Arts (A): Select from current general 6 education list ANTH 111 Introduction to Anthropology 3 Social & Behavioral Sciences
    [Show full text]
  • Measuring Science: Is There “Basic Research” Without Statistics? Benoît Godin 3465, Rue Durocher Montréal (QUE) Canada
    Measuring Science: Is There “Basic Research” Without Statistics? Benoît Godin 3465, rue Durocher Montréal (QUE) Canada H2X 2C6 Project on the History and Sociology of S&T Statistics Paper No. 3 2000 Previous papers in the series: 1. B. Godin, Outlines for a History of Science Measurement. 2. B. Godin, The Measure of Science and the Construction of a Statistical Territory: The Case of the National Capital Region (NCR). 1 Measuring Science : Is There “Basic Research” Without Statistics? Measuring Science: Is There “Basic Research” Without Statistics? Fundamental research is a central category of science policy and science measurement. Of all the concepts defined in the first edition of the Frascati manual, the OECD (Organization for Economic and Co-operation Development) methodological guide for official surveys on R&D, the first dealt with fundamental research. While a definition of research itself did not appear until the second edition in 1970, fundamental research was defined explicitly as follows: Work undertaken primarily for the advancement of scientific knowledge, without a specific practical application in view. 1 In the last edition of the manual (1994), the definition is substantially the same as the one in 1963, although the term “basic” is now used instead of fundamental: Basic research is experimental or theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge of the underlying foundation of phenomena and observable facts, without any particular application or use in view. 2 Between 1963 and 1994, therefore, all five editions of the manual carry essentially the same definition without any significant changes: basic research is research concerned with knowledge as contrasted with applied research, which is concerned with the application of knowledge.
    [Show full text]
  • Concepts and Definitions for Identifying R&D
    Frascati Manual 2015 Guidelines for Collecting and Reporting Data on Research and Experimental Development © OECD 2015 Chapter 2 Concepts and definitions for identifying R&D This chapter provides the definition of research and experimental development (R&D) and of its components, basic research, applied research and experimental development. These definitions are essentially unchanged from those in previous editions of the manual. Where there are differences, they reflect changes in culture and the use of language. To provide guidance on what is and what is not an R&D activity, five criteria are provided which require the activity to be novel, creative, uncertain in it outcome, systematic and transferable and/or reproducible. Since the last edition, the treatment of R&D expenditure in the System of National Accounts (SNA) has changed from an expense to a capital investment. As a result, the language of this manual, and of the SNA, is closer and there are additional requirements for measurements of financial flows. While the manual has always applied to all scientific disciplines, there is more emphasis on the social sciences, humanities and the arts, in addition to the natural sciences and engineering. Measuring R&D activities through surveys, administrative data, or interviews raises questions about boundaries and what is and what is not included and this chapter provides examples to help answer those questions. The manual is used to interpret R&D data as part of policy development and evaluation, but the focus of this chapter is on definitions for measurement purposes. 43 I-2. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS FOR IDENTIFYING R&D 2.1.
    [Show full text]