Evolution of Evolution of Complex Complex SystemsSystems

Lecture 12: The Evolution of Lecture 12: The Evolution of ScienceScience

Peter Andras / Bruce CharltonPeter Andras / Bruce Charlton

peter.andras@ncl.ac.ukpeter.andras@ncl.ac.uk

bruce.charlton@ncl.ac.ukbruce.charlton@ncl.ac.uk

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ObjectivesObjectives

Science as a systemScience as a system Origins of scienceOrigins of science Memory, information subsystem and Memory, information subsystem and

identityidentity Specialisation and expansionSpecialisation and expansion Interpenetration and expansionInterpenetration and expansion Competition and selectionCompetition and selection Emerging sciencesEmerging sciences

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SocietySociety

System of human communicationsSystem of human communications Spoken, written, electronic Spoken, written, electronic

communicationscommunications

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ScienceScience

System of communications about System of communications about conclusions (continuations) that conclusions (continuations) that can be checked experimentally can be checked experimentally

Two sequence of communications Two sequence of communications that should lead to the same that should lead to the same continuationscontinuations

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Science and religionScience and religion

Religion: system of un-common Religion: system of un-common knowledgeknowledge

Religion and science compete to Religion and science compete to explain perceptions of the societyexplain perceptions of the society

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Science and educationScience and education

Education: the specialist Education: the specialist reproduction subsystem of the reproduction subsystem of the societysociety

Science is reproduced by Science is reproduced by education education higher education higher education

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Ancient scienceAncient science

GreeksGreeks RomansRomans ChineseChinese IndiansIndians Islam worldIslam world

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Early Christian scienceEarly Christian science

Middle agesMiddle ages Relatively primitive Relatively primitive

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Uncommon knowledgeUncommon knowledge

Religion: explaining what is Religion: explaining what is unexplainable in terms of common unexplainable in terms of common languagelanguage

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Practical knowledgePractical knowledge

Common knowledge about Common knowledge about practical problemspractical problems

Specialist practical knowledge Specialist practical knowledge expansionexpansion

E.g., masonry, surgeryE.g., masonry, surgery

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Writing and uncommon Writing and uncommon knowledgeknowledge

Written communicationsWritten communications Preservation of communications Preservation of communications

for later reference for later reference memory memory Interpretation in new context Interpretation in new context

memory processing memory processing information information subsystemsubsystem

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Systematic uncommon Systematic uncommon knowledgeknowledge

Analysing uncommon knowledgeAnalysing uncommon knowledge Writing allows longer derivationsWriting allows longer derivations Contradictions are found and solved Contradictions are found and solved

and the solutions are written downand the solutions are written down Note: monotheism Note: monotheism simplification simplification

expansion expansion elaborate elaborate uncommon knowledgeuncommon knowledge

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Science of uncommon Science of uncommon knowledgeknowledge

Theology: analysis, interpretation Theology: analysis, interpretation and continuation of uncommon and continuation of uncommon knowledgeknowledge

Schools of theology: monasteriesSchools of theology: monasteries

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Writing and practical Writing and practical knowledgeknowledge

Written communications about Written communications about practical knowledgepractical knowledge

Writing allows longer sequences of Writing allows longer sequences of continuing communicationscontinuing communications

Contradictions and solutions are Contradictions and solutions are foundfound

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Science of practical Science of practical knowledgeknowledge

Systematic organization of Systematic organization of practical knowledgepractical knowledge

E.g., ancient medicine, geometry, E.g., ancient medicine, geometry, masonry, geography, botany masonry, geography, botany textbookstextbooks

Schools of practical knowledge: Schools of practical knowledge: ancient philosophy schools, writing ancient philosophy schools, writing schools in Chinaschools in China

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The logic of scienceThe logic of science

TruthTruth What is true and what is not true What is true and what is not true

(false) according to the rules of the (false) according to the rules of the systematic knowledge (early systematic knowledge (early science) science) identity of the science identity of the science

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Early sciences as Early sciences as subsystemssubsystems

Uncommon and practical Uncommon and practical systematic knowledge systemssystematic knowledge systems

Subsystems of the corresponding Subsystems of the corresponding knowledge systemknowledge system

Defining logic (identity): Defining logic (identity): scientifically true / falsescientifically true / false

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EducationEducation

Reproduction of the society – Reproduction of the society – common knowledge basecommon knowledge base

Family education, religious Family education, religious education, practical knowledge education, practical knowledge educationeducation

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Education and theologyEducation and theology

Formalized education of Formalized education of uncommon knowledge to uncommon knowledge to reproduce the early science of reproduce the early science of theologytheology

More need in case of more More need in case of more extended uncommon knowledge extended uncommon knowledge systems (e.g., those built by systems (e.g., those built by monotheist religions)monotheist religions)

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Interpenetration: education Interpenetration: education and theologyand theology

New rules of education in New rules of education in conformity with the religion / conformity with the religion / theologytheology

New system: formal educationNew system: formal education Formal education and theology: Formal education and theology:

systematic reproduction and systematic reproduction and extension of theology extension of theology university university

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Interpenetration: formal Interpenetration: formal education and practical education and practical knowledgeknowledge

Similarities: written communications, Similarities: written communications, analysis, testing of conclusionsanalysis, testing of conclusions

Practical sciences change the Practical sciences change the contents of education (new contents of education (new communication rules)communication rules)

Education of practical sciences: Education of practical sciences: geometry, botany, geography, geometry, botany, geography, astrologyastrology

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Interpenetration: Interpenetration: experimental validationexperimental validation

Practical sciences: experimental Practical sciences: experimental validationvalidation

Science: truth checking by Science: truth checking by experimental validationexperimental validation

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Science emergingScience emerging

Boundary between practical Boundary between practical sciences, theology, educationsciences, theology, education

New system emerges: science with New system emerges: science with experimentally validated truth experimentally validated truth checkcheck

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Science of lawScience of law

Practical law practicePractical law practice Science of lawScience of law More variable than theologyMore variable than theology Early universitiesEarly universities

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Science of medicineScience of medicine

Practical anatomy, botany, surgery Practical anatomy, botany, surgery and theologyand theology

Science of medicine – Science of medicine – experimental checksexperimental checks

Early universitiesEarly universities

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PhilosophyPhilosophy

Ancient schools – early philosophyAncient schools – early philosophy Pure theology free of religion – Pure theology free of religion –

interfacing with practical sciencesinterfacing with practical sciences Early universitiesEarly universities

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Natural philosophyNatural philosophy

Practical sciences (geometry, Practical sciences (geometry, mechanics, astrology, alchemy, mechanics, astrology, alchemy, geography) and philosophygeography) and philosophy

Experimentally validated scienceExperimentally validated science 1616thth – 18 – 18thth century univerisities century univerisities

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PrintingPrinting

Reproduction of written text in Reproduction of written text in large amountlarge amount

Large scale availability of memory Large scale availability of memory for science communications for science communications expansion of the information expansion of the information subsystem of science = more subsystem of science = more possible to process memories of possible to process memories of earlier scientific communicationsearlier scientific communications

Explosive expansion of scienceExplosive expansion of science

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Subsystems of natural Subsystems of natural philosophyphilosophy

Mathematics, physics, chemistry, Mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomyastronomy

Specialist languages emerge, Specialist languages emerge, which define new subsystemswhich define new subsystems

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The environment of The environment of sciencescience

SocietySociety Science is about the society and its Science is about the society and its

environmentenvironment

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Competing sciencesCompeting sciences

Alchemy and chemistryAlchemy and chemistry Astrology and astronomyAstrology and astronomy Competition: which makes better Competition: which makes better

predictions and causes fewer predictions and causes fewer contradictions by making false contradictions by making false predictionspredictions

Contradictions (identity violations) Contradictions (identity violations) cause cutting back and reduce cause cutting back and reduce growthgrowth

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Selection of sciencesSelection of sciences

Sciences which grow faster are Sciences which grow faster are selected by the environmentselected by the environment

E.g., chemistry against alchemy, E.g., chemistry against alchemy, astronomy against astrologyastronomy against astrology

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Various formalismsVarious formalisms

1717thth – 18 – 18thth century mathematics, century mathematics, physicsphysics

Each school / scientist had its own Each school / scientist had its own formalismformalism

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Uniform formalismUniform formalism

1919thth century standardisation of century standardisation of mathematics formalismmathematics formalism

Simplification and expansionSimplification and expansion Interpenetration of mathematics Interpenetration of mathematics

and physics and physics uniform formalism uniform formalism for physics for physics expansion of physics expansion of physics

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Ways of expansionWays of expansion

Fast expansion at beginning: Fast expansion at beginning: building the new long descriptions building the new long descriptions (sequences of continuing (sequences of continuing communications)communications)

Slow expansion later: gap fillingSlow expansion later: gap filling

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New subsystemsNew subsystems

Structure imposed on Structure imposed on communicationscommunications

Institutional organisation: Institutional organisation: questioning the identity/existence questioning the identity/existence – conferences, academic – conferences, academic departments, scientific societies, departments, scientific societies, journalsjournals

New subsystems emergeNew subsystems emerge

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Interactions of systemsInteractions of systems

Interface of sciencesInterface of sciences Change of rulesChange of rules Change of boundariesChange of boundaries Questioning of interface systems Questioning of interface systems

new interface sciences – new new interface sciences – new identityidentity

E.g., theoretical biologyE.g., theoretical biology

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Other sciences: social Other sciences: social sciencessciences

Social philosophy Social philosophy science of the science of the societysociety

Branches: economics, political Branches: economics, political science, sociology, psychology science, sociology, psychology (individual communications)(individual communications)

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Other sciences: Other sciences: humanitieshumanities

Interfaces of philosophy with arts: Interfaces of philosophy with arts: literature, fine arts, musicliterature, fine arts, music

Integrated older sciences: Integrated older sciences: philosophy, lawphilosophy, law

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Other sciences: Other sciences: engineeringengineering

Interfaces of natural sciences Interfaces of natural sciences (descendants of natural (descendants of natural philosophy) and practical sciences: philosophy) and practical sciences: e.g., construction engineering, e.g., construction engineering, automotive engineering, automotive engineering, mechanical engineeringmechanical engineering

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Medical sciencesMedical sciences

Descendants of the science of Descendants of the science of medicinemedicine

E.g., neurology, dentistry, E.g., neurology, dentistry, cardiologycardiology

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New sciences: computer New sciences: computer sciencescience

Computer science: the science of Computer science: the science of describing and solving problemsdescribing and solving problems

Information sciences – the science Information sciences – the science of information systemsof information systems

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Summary – 1 Summary – 1

Origins of scienceOrigins of science Early sciences: early theology, Early sciences: early theology,

early practical sciencesearly practical sciences TheologyTheology Law, medicine, philosophy, natural Law, medicine, philosophy, natural

philosophyphilosophy Memory, information subsystem Memory, information subsystem

and identityand identity

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Summary – 2 Summary – 2

Interpenetration and interface sciencesInterpenetration and interface sciences Branches of natural philosophyBranches of natural philosophy Competition and selection of sciencesCompetition and selection of sciences Simplification and expansion of Simplification and expansion of

mathematics and physicsmathematics and physics Other sciencesOther sciences New sciencesNew sciences

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Q&A – 1 Q&A – 1

1.1. Is it true that theology was one of Is it true that theology was one of the early sciences ?the early sciences ?

2.2. Is it true that early theology was Is it true that early theology was a subsystem of religion ?a subsystem of religion ?

3.3. Is it true that the interpenetration Is it true that the interpenetration of education by theology led to of education by theology led to the emergence of formal the emergence of formal education ?education ?

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Q&A – 2 Q&A – 2

4. Is it true that the sciences of medicine and 4. Is it true that the sciences of medicine and law emerged independently from theology ?law emerged independently from theology ?

5. Is it true that philosophy emerged at the 5. Is it true that philosophy emerged at the interface of theology and practical sciences ?interface of theology and practical sciences ?

6. Is it true that natural philosophy emerged at 6. Is it true that natural philosophy emerged at the interface of medicine and philosophy ?the interface of medicine and philosophy ?

7. Is it true that astrology competed with 7. Is it true that astrology competed with mathematics ?mathematics ?

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Q&A – 3 Q&A – 3

8. Is it true that alchemy was out competed by 8. Is it true that alchemy was out competed by chemistry because the former produced more chemistry because the former produced more contradictions reducing its expansion capacity ?contradictions reducing its expansion capacity ?

9. Is it true that major expansion of mathematics 9. Is it true that major expansion of mathematics happened before the uniformisation of happened before the uniformisation of mathematical terminology ?mathematical terminology ?

10. Is it true that social sciences developed as 10. Is it true that social sciences developed as descendants of social philosophy ?descendants of social philosophy ?

11. Is it true that computer science is a new science 11. Is it true that computer science is a new science of problem and solution formulation ? Is it true of problem and solution formulation ? Is it true that it can be seen as a new kind of philosophy ?that it can be seen as a new kind of philosophy ?