The Dynamics of Conceptual Change

观念变革的动力

• 批准号: 8821422
• 负责人: Nancy Nersessian
• 金额: $ 5.02万
• 依托单位: Princeton University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1989
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1989-03-01 至 1991-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8821422&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dynamics; Conceptual; Change

Conceptual change has been a significant component of all major changes of theory in science. Attempts by philosophers and historians of science to characterize conceptual change have led to two main views: conceptual change is continuous and cumulative and conceptual change is discontinuous and abrupt. Dr. Nersessian has found, however, that fine-structure analyses of transition periods between theories show both characterizations to be inadequate. Conceptual change is continuous but not simply cumulative. Providing an explanatory account for the historical data requires an investigation into the dynamics of how conceptual structures change. With the support of this grant, Dr. Nersessian will examine actual conceptual changes in science in light of cognitive theories of heuristic reasoning, conceptualization and categorization, and conceptual change. The extent of fit between these theories and three major conceptual changes will be investigated. The historical transitions she will be examining as case studies for her project are the move from medieval to Newtonian theories of motion, the subsequent move from Newtonian theories of motion to the special and general theories of relativity, and the move from Newtonian mechanics to quantum mechanics. Her analysis should deepen our understanding of how conceptual structures emerge and are adopted by scientific communities, and should also open up new areas of investigation in the cognitive sciences.

概念的改变是所有重大改革的重要组成部分， 科学理论的变化。 哲学家的尝试， 科学史家对概念变化的描述 两个主要观点：概念变化是连续的， 累积和概念上的变化是不连续和突然的。 然而，Nersessian博士发现， 理论之间的过渡期表明， 特征不充分。 概念的变化是 连续的，但不是简单的累积。 提供一个解释 历史数据需要调查 概念结构如何变化的动力学。 在这笔资金的支持下，纳赛辛博士将研究 科学中的实际概念变化 启发式推理、概念化和 分类和概念的改变。 之间的拟合程度 这些理论和三个主要的概念变化将是 研究了 她将研究的历史变迁 作为她项目的案例研究， 牛顿运动理论，从牛顿运动理论 运动的特殊理论和一般理论 从牛顿力学到量子力学 力学 她的分析应该加深我们对 概念结构出现，并通过科学 社区，并应开辟新的调查领域 在认知科学中。