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Modelling Scientific Communities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 November 2023

Cailin O'Connor
Affiliation:
University of California, Irvine

Summary

This Element will overview research using models to understand scientific practice. Models are useful for reasoning about groups and processes that are complicated and distributed across time and space, i.e., those that are difficult to study using empirical methods alone. Science fits this picture. For this reason, it is no surprise that researchers have turned to models over the last few decades to study various features of science. The different sections of the element are mostly organized around different modeling approaches. The models described in this element sometimes yield take-aways that are straightforward, and at other times more nuanced. The Element ultimately argues that while these models are epistemically useful, the best way to employ most of them to understand and improve science is in combination with empirical methods and other sorts of theorizing.
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Modelling Scientific Communities
  • Cailin O'Connor, University of California, Irvine
  • Online ISBN: 9781009359535
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Modelling Scientific Communities
  • Cailin O'Connor, University of California, Irvine
  • Online ISBN: 9781009359535
Available formats
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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Modelling Scientific Communities
  • Cailin O'Connor, University of California, Irvine
  • Online ISBN: 9781009359535
Available formats
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