Accountability and values in radically collaborative research

This paper discusses a crisis of accountability that arises when scientific collaborations are massively epistemically distributed. We argue that social models of epistemic collaboration, which are social analogs to what Patrick Suppes called a “model of the experiment,” must play a role in creating accountability in these contexts. We also argue that these social models must accommodate the fact that the various agents in a collaborative project often have ineliminable, messy, and conflicting interests and values; any story about accountability in a massively distributed collaboration must therefore involve models of such interests and values and their methodological and epistemic effects.     

On the origins and foundations of Laplacian determinism

In this paper I examine the foundations of Laplace’s famous statement of determinism in 1814, and argue that rather than derived from his mechanics, this statement is based on general philosophical principles, namely the principle of sufficient reason and the law of continuity. It is usually supposed that Laplace’s statement is based on the fact that each system in classical mechanics has an equation of motion which has a unique solution. But Laplace never proved this result, and in fact he could not have proven it, since it depends on a theorem about uniqueness of solutions to differential equations that was only developed later on. I show that the idea that is at the basis of Laplace’s determinism was in fact widespread in enlightenment France, and is ultimately based on a re-interpretation of Leibnizian metaphysics, specifically the principle of sufficient reason and the law of continuity. Since the law of continuity also lies at the basis of the application of differential calculus in physics, one can say that Laplace’s determinism and the idea that systems in physics can be described by differential equations with unique solutions have a common foundation.     

Maxwell's color statistics: From reduction of visible errors to reduction to invisible molecules

This paper presents a cross-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary account of Maxwell's introduction of statistical models of molecules for the composition of gases. The account focuses on Maxwell's deployment of statistical models of data in his contemporaneous color researches as established in Cambridge mathematical physics, especially by Maxwell's seniors and mentors. The paper also argues that the cross-disciplinary, or cross-domain, transfer of resources from the natural and social sciences took place in both directions and relied on the complex intra-disciplinary, or intra-domain, dynamics of Maxwell's researches in natural sciences, in color theory, physical astronomy, electromagnetism and dynamical theory of gases, as well as involving a variety of types of communicating and mediating media, from material objects to concepts, techniques and institutions.     

A conceptual discussion on electromagnetic units – Extending mechanical units towards a global system of units

A comparative review of the different systems of units that are most usual in electromagnetism leads to the proposal of a new system of units. In this system, the gravitational constant acquires the role of an interaction constant, both for gravitational and electromagnetic interaction, as a result of a redefinition of electric charge. In this way, the new system of units extends in a natural manner to mechanics. The comparison between the gravitational and electromagnetic interactions is of particular relevance.     

The material theory of induction and the epistemology of thought experiments

John D. Norton is responsible for a number of influential views in contemporary philosophy of science. This paper will discuss two of them. The material theory of induction claims that inductive arguments are ultimately justified by their material features, not their formal features. Thus, while a deductive argument can be valid irrespective of the content of the propositions that make up the argument, an inductive argument about, say, apples, will be justified (or not) depending on facts about apples. The argument view of thought experiments claims that thought experiments are arguments, and that they function epistemically however arguments do. These two views have generated a great deal of discussion, although there hasn't been much written about their combination. I argue that despite some interesting harmonies, there is a serious tension between them. I consider several options for easing this tension, before suggesting a set of changes to the argument view that I take to be consistent with Norton's fundamental philosophical commitments, and which retain what seems intuitively correct about the argument view. These changes require that we move away from a unitary epistemology of thought experiments and towards a more pluralist position.     

门捷列夫的“旷缺”与中国公使的感叹

1869年门捷列夫完成了世界上第一张化学元素周期表,除了把当时所知的全部63种元素按原子量大小分组(族)排列外,还在表中留下一些空位,预言了与硼、铝、硅类似的元素的存在及其性质。随后的20多年内,这些空位相继被新发现的元素填补。1877年中国首任驻英公使郭嵩焘听到了门捷列夫的预言与元素镓的发现这一故事,联想到发现海王星的经过,由衷感叹西方科学的精致与功效。     

创新开展新时期科技名词规范化工作,努力发挥支撑服务作用

科技名词规范化工作具有深厚的历史基础和现实需要,是支撑科技创新和经济社会发展的一项基础性系统工程。当前,中国特色社会主义进入新时代,我们要深刻领会“新时代”的丰富内涵,深化认识科技名词规范化工作的特殊意义,创新开展各项工作,更好肩负起新时代赋予的历史使命。     

甘肃太统-崆峒山国家级自然保护区山杨锈病病原及发生规律

山杨锈病是甘肃太统-崆峒山自然保护区中对山杨林危害最严重的植物病害。2013年3月—2014年12月,对该保护区内山杨锈病的发生规律进行了跟踪调查,并对病原真菌进行了采样、分离和鉴定。结果显示,在保护区内发生的山杨锈病病原菌属于松杨栅锈菌(Melampsora laricipopulina Kleb.)。该病原生物的发生规律主要表现为:每年5月下旬至6月初山杨开始发病,6月下旬危害程度逐渐加重,7月中、下旬病害快速蔓延,危害程度进一步加重,到7月底感病率达到100%;8月中、下旬约有60%叶片发黑,30%的叶片脱落,山杨的长势受到严重影响。研究结果基本反映了该区域山杨锈病的发生规律,为该林区山杨林保护提供了理论依据,为山杨锈病的防治研究奠定了基础。     

一种新型的频率选择反射表面

本文对一种新型的频率选择反射表面进行了理论研究。这种新型的反射表面是由一无限大理想导体平板后加载二维周期性腔体阵列所组成,它比导体平板上开有二维周期性孔阵有更好的反射选择特性。文中对平面波入射到二维周期性矩形腔阵列加载导电屏的反射特性进行了计算,给出了主模反射系数随频率腔长等参量变化的关系曲线。     

百花山主要树种对环境的响应研究

北京市面积最大的保护区.北京百花山自然保护区不仅有利于京西生态系统的稳定和生物多样性保护,同时对于建设北京西部生态屏障,改善和保护北京生态环境,实现绿色奥运,具有十分重要的意义.通过对百花山不同海拔,不同林相的多个样方内多种主要植物叶性状(叶干物质和比叶面积)的测定,运用统计学方法对样方中主要树种对环境的响应进行了研究.