Constructing strangeness: Exploratory modeling and concept formation

Arianna Borrelli

doi:10.1162/posc_a_00376

Constructing strangeness: Exploratory modeling and concept formation

Arianna Borrelli^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Institute of Culture and Aesthetics of Digital Media

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Abstract

The notion of exploratory modeling constitutes a powerful heuristic tool for historical-epistemological analysis and especially for studying concept formation. I will show this by means of a case study from the history of particle physics: The formation of the concept of “strangeness” in the early 1950s at the interface of theory and experiment. Strangeness emerged from a broad space of possibilities opened up by exploratory modeling by authors working in communication and competition, and constructing both new questions and new answers. A systematic focus on exploratory modeling also helps compensate a bias towards the “right” developments still often present in historical investigations of theoretical work.

Original language	English
Journal	Perspectives on Science
Volume	29
Issue number	4
Pages (from-to)	388-408
Number of pages	21
ISSN	1063-6145
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1162/posc_a_00376
Publication status	Published - 20.08.2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information: The research presented in this paper was funded by the Institute for Advanced Study on Media Cultures of Computer Simulation (MECS), Leuphana University Lüneburg (DFG grant KFOR 1927), and by the project “Exploring the ‘dark ages’ of particle physics” (DFG grant BO 4062/2-1).
Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Research areas and keywords

Media and communication studies

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

General
History and Philosophy of Science

Access to Document

10.1162/posc_a_00376

MECS: DFG-Kolleg-Forschergruppe MECS (Medienkulturen der Computersimulation)
Pias, C. (Project manager, academic), Warnke, M. (Project manager, academic), Vehlken, S. (Project staff), Schrape, N. (Project staff), Schrickel, I. (Project staff), Stöcklmayr, N. (Project staff), Engemann, C. (Project staff), Winter, F. (Project staff) & Wellmann, J. (Project staff)
01.04.13 → 31.07.22
Project: Research

Cite this

@article{0169bdef142b465c95c7e28e2ed458c8,

title = "Constructing strangeness: Exploratory modeling and concept formation",

abstract = "The notion of exploratory modeling constitutes a powerful heuristic tool for historical-epistemological analysis and especially for studying concept formation. I will show this by means of a case study from the history of particle physics: The formation of the concept of “strangeness” in the early 1950s at the interface of theory and experiment. Strangeness emerged from a broad space of possibilities opened up by exploratory modeling by authors working in communication and competition, and constructing both new questions and new answers. A systematic focus on exploratory modeling also helps compensate a bias towards the “right” developments still often present in historical investigations of theoretical work.",

keywords = "Media and communication studies",

author = "Arianna Borrelli",

note = "Funding Information: The research presented in this paper was funded by the Institute for Advanced Study on Media Cultures of Computer Simulation (MECS), Leuphana University L{\"u}neburg (DFG grant KFOR 1927), and by the project “Exploring the {\textquoteleft}dark ages{\textquoteright} of particle physics” (DFG grant BO 4062/2-1). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 by The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.",

year = "2021",

month = aug,

day = "20",

doi = "10.1162/posc\_a\_00376",

language = "English",

volume = "29",

pages = "388--408",

journal = "Perspectives on Science",

issn = "1063-6145",

publisher = "MIT Press",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Constructing strangeness

T2 - Exploratory modeling and concept formation

AU - Borrelli, Arianna

N1 - Funding Information: The research presented in this paper was funded by the Institute for Advanced Study on Media Cultures of Computer Simulation (MECS), Leuphana University Lüneburg (DFG grant KFOR 1927), and by the project “Exploring the ‘dark ages’ of particle physics” (DFG grant BO 4062/2-1). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

PY - 2021/8/20

Y1 - 2021/8/20

N2 - The notion of exploratory modeling constitutes a powerful heuristic tool for historical-epistemological analysis and especially for studying concept formation. I will show this by means of a case study from the history of particle physics: The formation of the concept of “strangeness” in the early 1950s at the interface of theory and experiment. Strangeness emerged from a broad space of possibilities opened up by exploratory modeling by authors working in communication and competition, and constructing both new questions and new answers. A systematic focus on exploratory modeling also helps compensate a bias towards the “right” developments still often present in historical investigations of theoretical work.

AB - The notion of exploratory modeling constitutes a powerful heuristic tool for historical-epistemological analysis and especially for studying concept formation. I will show this by means of a case study from the history of particle physics: The formation of the concept of “strangeness” in the early 1950s at the interface of theory and experiment. Strangeness emerged from a broad space of possibilities opened up by exploratory modeling by authors working in communication and competition, and constructing both new questions and new answers. A systematic focus on exploratory modeling also helps compensate a bias towards the “right” developments still often present in historical investigations of theoretical work.

KW - Media and communication studies

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85113908337

U2 - 10.1162/posc_a_00376

DO - 10.1162/posc_a_00376

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:85113908337

SN - 1063-6145

VL - 29

SP - 388

EP - 408

JO - Perspectives on Science

JF - Perspectives on Science

IS - 4

ER -

Constructing strangeness: Exploratory modeling and concept formation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Research areas and keywords

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

MECS: DFG-Kolleg-Forschergruppe MECS (Medienkulturen der Computersimulation)

Cite this