Measurement in the context of technoscientific research methodology

摘要

Technoscience is a result of integration of technology with empirical sciences, including not only physical sciences, but also life sciences, social sciences and cognitive sciences. Further development of technoscience is unthinkable without extensive use of measurement and mathematical modelling, being two interrelated operations used for acquisition and representation of knowledge. Measurement fundamentals must, therefore, belong to the core of methodological instruction of young researchers in the domain of technoscience. This paper provides an outline of a sought-for discipline-independent programme of such formation, including a conceptual analysis of the key elements of the scientific method, with particular emphasis on the dialectical relationship between measurement and mathematical modelling, on the role of measurement in scientific prediction and explanation, on the role of measurement in the context of discovery and in the context of justification, as well as on the role of measurement in mitigating uncertainty of scientific knowledge.