Constructing strangeness: Exploratory modeling and concept formation
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In: Perspectives on Science, Vol. 29, No. 4, 20.08.2021, p. 388-408.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Constructing strangeness
T2 - Exploratory modeling and concept formation
AU - Borrelli, Arianna
N1 - Funding Information: The research presented in this paper was funded by the Institute for Advanced Study on Media Cultures of Computer Simulation (MECS), Leuphana University Lüneburg (DFG grant KFOR 1927), and by the project “Exploring the ‘dark ages’ of particle physics” (DFG grant BO 4062/2-1). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
PY - 2021/8/20
Y1 - 2021/8/20
N2 - The notion of exploratory modeling constitutes a powerful heuristic tool for historical-epistemological analysis and especially for studying concept formation. I will show this by means of a case study from the history of particle physics: The formation of the concept of “strangeness” in the early 1950s at the interface of theory and experiment. Strangeness emerged from a broad space of possibilities opened up by exploratory modeling by authors working in communication and competition, and constructing both new questions and new answers. A systematic focus on exploratory modeling also helps compensate a bias towards the “right” developments still often present in historical investigations of theoretical work.
AB - The notion of exploratory modeling constitutes a powerful heuristic tool for historical-epistemological analysis and especially for studying concept formation. I will show this by means of a case study from the history of particle physics: The formation of the concept of “strangeness” in the early 1950s at the interface of theory and experiment. Strangeness emerged from a broad space of possibilities opened up by exploratory modeling by authors working in communication and competition, and constructing both new questions and new answers. A systematic focus on exploratory modeling also helps compensate a bias towards the “right” developments still often present in historical investigations of theoretical work.
KW - Media and communication studies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85113908337&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1162/posc_a_00376
DO - 10.1162/posc_a_00376
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85113908337
VL - 29
SP - 388
EP - 408
JO - Perspectives on Science
JF - Perspectives on Science
SN - 1063-6145
IS - 4
ER -