Scientific Concepts in the Engineering Sciences

An engineering paradigm in the biomedical sciences: Knowledge as epistemic tool

“…Epistemic results (theories, models, laws, concepts) are epistemic tools constructed for epistemic uses such as construction of explanations and predictions, model-building (e.g., mechanistic, mathematical, experimental and synthetic models), creative thinking, problem-solving, computer simulations, and design of experimental equipment (Boon and Knuuttila 2009, Knuuttila and Boon 2011, Boon 2012a, Green 2013). 3.…”

“…Instead of scientific knowledge firstly being a representation of how the world is independent of humans, they propose to characterize knowledge as epistemic tools (Nersessian 2009, Boon and Knuuttila 2009, Feest 2010, Knuuttila and Boon 2011, Boon 2012a, Green 2013. 3 Here, it is suggested that 'knowledge as representation' (in a correspondence sense) is deeply embedded in the physics paradigm whereas 'knowledge as epistemic tool' is central to the engineering paradigm.…”

“…Nersessian (2009), for instance, has used detailed history of science studies to argue that novel scientific concepts arise from attempts to solve specific problems, where scientists utilize conceptual ideas (such as analogies), and analytical and material resources. Feest (2010), Chang (2004 and Boon (2012a) add that in many cases the initial conceptual content of a scientific concept is determined by the 'paradigmatic experiment' in which its purported phenomenon manifests and is investigated. An example (not given by these authors) is the concept of 'yield' of micro-organisms (i.e., the amount of substrate consumed for its growth).…”

The Scientific Use of Technological Instruments

“…(1) how theoretical concepts are formed in experimental practices, (2) how the formation of scientific concepts goes hand-in-hand with the development of technological instruments (e.g., Feest, 2008Feest, , 2010Feest, , 2011, (3) how theoretical concepts themselves play a role in investigating the phenomena to which they supposedly refer (e.g, Feest 2008, 2010, and Boon 2012, and conversely (4) how material objects are the driving forces in the process of knowledge acquisition (e.g., Rheinberger 1997, Chang 2009b, and also, (5) how in these processes phenomena and theoretical concepts get stabilized (Chang 2009b, Feest 2011). Following up on these ideas, I have proposed that the formation of theoretical concepts involves interplay between experimental observations and 'partial' conceptual, empirical and theoretical knowledge of the working of an instrument or experimental set-up.…”

The Role of Technology in Science: Philosophical Perspectives

“…Here it is important to distinguish Rheinberger's (1997) notion of 'epistemic things' from my own notion of 'epistemic tools' (Boon 2012, and see below). Whereas an epistemic tool is a tool for thinking (e.g.…”