Science: Its Theory and Practice, An Introduction for Doctoral Students

Abstract

For a number of years, both the Research Policy Programme (Lund) and the Theory of Science Institute (Goteborg) in Sweden have held courses on the research process. In Lund, these courses have primarily concentrated on the 'practice' of research: how it is organized, conducted, planned, financed, etc. In Goteborg, the emphasis has been on research 'theory' including definitions of science, philosophies of science, and the question of objectivity in science. During the spring term 1973, representatives of the two institutions began to plan a course together, so that the two major areas of interest could be combined into a more comprehensive examination of the research process. Our purposes in planning such a course have been many. In our previous courses and our research work, we have found that many doctoral students, in both the natural and social sciences, lack a perspective in which they can understand their research work and their future social and professional roles as scientists. Most of them do not seem to have a very clear notion of what science is all about. Most are unfamiliar with the growing body of literature in the 'science of science', the studies of research work. And, if they have looked at this literature, many have found it difficult to relate this material to their own practical needs as researchers. We have tried, in this course, to begin to fill these gaps in knowledge and perspective.