E. Jackson
Paper #: 96-06-039
This paper is an extension of "A First Look at the Second Metamorphosis of Science" (SFI Working Paper95-01-001 and CCSR Report, Beckman Institute), and based in part on the lecture "The Second Metamorphosis of Science" given at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria on July 21, 1995. Outline: 1. Introduction: The Three Components of Science: (I) Scientific information, (II) Scientific knowledge (understanding), (III) Concepts unifying knowledge in all physical sciences. 2.The First Metamorphosis of Science (1570-1709) 3. “Objective" and “Subjective" Aspets of the Components of Science Initial Phases of the Second Metamorphosis of Science: 4.Transforming Component (I): new sources of scientific information; Projections: new technical means for obtaining scientific information; the logically distinct character of information from different sources; Projections uncovering complex dynamic phenomena; some broad implications. 5. Transforming Concepts (II): Understanding based on the discovery of relationships between observables, concurrent and sequential; understanding based on "associating" logically distinct forms of information from different sources of information; generalizations and refinements of "scientific methods"; new technical features and complications. 6. The "Inward-Bound" and "Outward-Bound" Bifurcation Within Physics: Conflicting concepts of reductionism within science; the metaphysics of faith vs. constructionism. Selected reductionistic thoughts of Richard Feynman, David Bohm, Philip Anderson, Victor Weisskopf, Ernest Mayr, Steven Weinberg, Stephen Hawking, Anthony Leggett, Leo Kandanoff, Murray Gell-Mann. 7.Transforming Component (III): The search for a technical "scaffolding metascience"' constructionism and reductionism; varieties of hierarchies; dynamic hierarchies; ensemble variables, constraints, nondeduction; implicit and explicit order; the bilevel reduction-construction understanding of natural phenomena, based on interactions of "ensemble" variables in constrained environments; scientific uncertainties; East-West conjunctions in science, relationships; complimentary dualities in science ("Yin-Yangs"). Appendix: Additional Thoughts: Partially deterministic systems; local and extended relationships.