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Managing Science pp 165–189Cite as

Paradigms of Mechanism and Function

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Part of the book series: Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management ((ITKM))

Abstract

We have constructed a taxonomy consisting of four paradigms of science: Mechanism, Function, Logic, and System. Now we will examine in detail the paradigms of Mechanism and of Function. In biology, for example, we saw in the case of the discovery of DNA and its modeling that both paradigms of Mechanism (chemistry of DNA) and Function (function of DNA in genetics) were used. The basic research issue of “what is life” required both mechanistic and functional explanations. The paradigm of mechanism perceives the world in terms of space, time, matter, energy, and force. But to fully describe and explain life, science needs additional concepts to those of Mechanism: concepts such as purpose, intention, will, and reason. These are central concepts in the paradigm of Function.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Biographies of Boyle include those by Principe (1998) and Hunter (2009).

  2. 2.

    Biographies of Lavoisier include those by Donovan (1993) and Poirier (1996).

  3. 3.

    There are many biographies of Einstein, including those by Clark (1971) and Pais (1982).

  4. 4.

    Biographies of Darwin include those by Desmond and Moore (1991).

  5. 5.

    Biographies of Dewey include those by Boisvert(1997) and Martin (2003).

References

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  • Desmond, A. and James, M. 1991. Darwin. London: Michael Joseph, Penguin Group, ISBN 0-7181-3430-3.

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  • Dewey, J. 1938. Logic: The Theory of Inquiry. New York: Henry Holt & Co.

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  • Donovan, A. 1993. Antoine Lavoisier: Science, Administration, and Revolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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  • Hunter, M. 2009. Boyle: Between God and Science. New Haven: Yale University Press.

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  • Martin, J. 2003. The Education of John Dewey. New York: Columbia University Press.

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  • Pais, A. 1982. Subtle Is the Lord. The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein. Oxford: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-520438-7.

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  • Poirier, J-P. 1996. Lavoisier. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, English Edition.

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  • Principe, L. 1998. The Aspiring Adept: Robert Boyle and His Alchemical Quest. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering and Technology, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA

    Frederick Betz

Authors
  1. Frederick Betz
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Correspondence to Frederick Betz .

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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

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Betz, F. (2011). Paradigms of Mechanism and Function. In: Managing Science. Innovation, Technology, and Knowledge Management. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7488-4_8

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