03.03 Science as Process – Beyond Networks: The Evolution of Living Systems
Channel: Johannes Jaeger
Date: 2020-04-25

Module 3 of "Beyond Networks" explains what it means to take a process perspective on scientific inquiry, knowledge, and reality itself. This lecture looks at scientific inquiry as a process. In the first part, I examine the idea that scientific theories, and the heuristics they consist of, evolve like other complex adaptive systems through punctuated equilibrium dynamics (Kuhn's normal vs. revolutionary science). This view implies that scientific theories share with other complex adaptive systems the properties of near-decomposability (modularity) and generative entrenchment (the fact that some parts of the system become conserved since we can no longer changed them without causing catastrophic failure). In the second part of the lecture, I argue that such punctuated dynamics require an explore-exploit strategy (which Kuhn called the essential tension of scientific research), but the modern academic system is locked too much into the exploit mode. This lecture series is an attempt at exploration, which we will need if we are not to be locked into our current (and failing) scientific perspectives to tackle the challenges that face humanity today.

Recommended readings on evolutionary epistemology include Campbell's original article published in Schlipp's festschrift "The Philosophy of Karl R. Popper" (1974), Riedl's book "Biology as Knowledge" (hard to get these days), and Hull's "Science as a Process." The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has an excellent review article on the topic, with many additional references: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/epistemology-evolutionary.

The concept of punctuated equilibrium originates in Eldredge & Gould (1972) published in Schopf's "Models in Paleobiology." Exaptation was introduced in an article by Gould & Vrba (1982) published in Paleobiology 8: 4.

I've already recommended Wimsatt's "Re-engineering Philosophy for Limited Beings," but will gladly do so again! 

Nicholas Rescher not only wrote "Process Metaphysics" but also a delightful little book on what we cannot know, called "Unknownability."  Both of those are worth reading! 

For Herbert Simon's "near-decomposability," please consult Simon (1962; Proc Am Phil Soc 106: 467) and/or/ Simon (1973; in: "Hierarchy Theory," edited by Pattee.

Kuhn's 1959 essay "The Essential Tension" was reprinted in 1977. A good dessert after ingesting "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." 

Christian & Griffiths (2016) "Algorithms to Live By" contains all kinds of useful information. I found the chapter on the exploit-explore strategy especially illuminating.