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Computer Simulations in Science and Technology Studies

  • Book
  • © 1998

Overview

Editors:
  1. Petra Ahrweiler

    1. Institute for Science and Technology Studies, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

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  2. Nigel Gilbert

    1. Centre for Research on Simulation in the Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Surrey, Guildford, England

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  • A new and promissing approach to complex systems

  • First book on this topic

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Table of contents (13 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
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  2. Introducing simulation in social studies of science and technology

    1. Simulation: An introduction to the idea

      • Nigel Gilbert
      Pages 1-13

    2. Modelling science as an adaptive and self-organising social system: Concepts, theories and modelling tools

      • Jürgen Klüver
      Pages 15-31

    3. Computer simulations in science and technology studies

      • Petra Ahrweiler, Stefan Wörmann
      Pages 33-52

  4. Evolutionary models of science and technology

    1. The evolution of technologies

      • Klaus G. Troitzsch
      Pages 103-116

    2. Simulating paradigm shifts using a lock-in model

      • Koen Frenken, Okke Verbart
      Pages 117-127

    3. SiSiFOS — simulating studies on the internal formation and the organization of science

      • Petra Ahrweiler, Rolf Wolkenhauer
      Pages 129-143

    4. The self-organization of social systems: A simulation of the social construction of knowledge

      • Günter Küppers
      Pages 145-155

    5. Modelling Krohn and Küppers’ theory of science as a self-organizing system

      • Christina Stoica
      Pages 157-172

  5. Simulating conditions and dependcies of scientific work

    1. Modelling creativity

      • Arthur I. Miller
      Pages 173-182

    2. Developing simulation models with policy relevance: The implications of recent UK reforms for emergent scientific disciplines

      • Paul Windrum, Chris Birchenhall
      Pages 183-206

  6. Back Matter

    Pages 207-245
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Keywords

About this book

What is it about the structure and organisation of science and technology that has led to the spectacularly successful growth of knowledge during this century? This book explores this important and much debated question in an innovative way, by using computer simulations. The computer simulation of societies and social processes is a methodology which is rapidly becoming recognised for its potential in the social sciences. This book applies the tools of simulation systematically to a specific domain: science and technology studies. The book shows how computer simulation can be applied both to questions in the history and philosophy of science and to issues of concern to sociologists of science and technology. Chapters in the book demonstrate the use of simulation for clarifying the notion of creativity and for understanding the logical processes employed by eminent scientists to make their discoveries. The book begins with three introductory chapters. The first introduces simulation for the social sciences, surveying current work and explaining the advantages and pitfalls of this new methodology. The second and third chapters review recent work on theoretical aspects of social simulation, introducing fundamental concepts such as self­ organisation and complexity and relating these to the simulation of scientific discovery.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Institute for Science and Technology Studies, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

    Petra Ahrweiler

  • Centre for Research on Simulation in the Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Surrey, Guildford, England

    Nigel Gilbert

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