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Cognitive Dynamics of Research Routines: Case Study of MicroRNA

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The Logic of Social Practices

Part of the book series: Studies in Applied Philosophy, Epistemology and Rational Ethics ((SAPERE,volume 52))

Abstract

The paper develops evolutionary approach to study research routines in order to identify some general patterns in this prevalent area of social practice. Three mechanisms underlying cognitive dynamics of research routines are identified and examined using the case of microRNAs research. Their mutual interaction is attributed to propagation of shock impulses. Some inherent limitations of alternative scientometric approaches, such as the gradient of flow vergence, are examined. They presumably arise because of the particularistic orientation of the dominant scientometric approaches. The paper concludes by advocating processualist approach to dynamics of scientific research and postulating a more detailed examination of the nature of shock impulses.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    More fully discussed in [27].

  2. 2.

    I adopt here the terminological distinctions developed in the debate between proponents of particularist and processualist anthropology (see esp. [10, 11]).

  3. 3.

    A general and forceful case for the processualist turn in the philosophy of life sciences has recently been presented in [39].

  4. 4.

    If one adopts John Losee’s broad classification of philosophical approaches to scientific progress into incremental and discontinuous [37, p. 1], then obviously the general processualist approach inclines towards the incremental one that would presumably accommodate research routines as the favorable unit of analysis.

  5. 5.

    For the details concerning how the values of Simonton’s measures are determined see e.g. [49].

  6. 6.

    The interested Reader may consult [5] for details of the Gompertz function.

  7. 7.

    In 1984 both Ambros and Ruvkun moved out to head their own laboratories.

  8. 8.

    “MeSH” stands for “Medical Subject Headings” and is systematically developed and updated for indexing articles in PubMed. It identifies 16 synonyms for “microRNA”.

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Acknowledgements

The author gratefully acknowledges the support of the Polish National Science Centre (NCN) under the grant no. UMO-2014/15/B/HS1/03770.

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  1. Faculty of Philosophy, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland

    Paweł Kawalec

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Correspondence to Paweł Kawalec .

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  1. Social Ontology and Social Epistemology, Faculty of Philosophy, Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, Italy

    Raffaela Giovagnoli

  2. Division of Cognition and Communication, Department of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Robert Lowe

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Kawalec, P. (2020). Cognitive Dynamics of Research Routines: Case Study of MicroRNA. In: Giovagnoli, R., Lowe, R. (eds) The Logic of Social Practices. Studies in Applied Philosophy, Epistemology and Rational Ethics, vol 52. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37305-4_9

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