Miłkowski, Marcin
(2022)
Cognitive Artifacts and Their Virtues in Scientific Practice.
[Preprint]
Abstract
This paper proposes a novel way to understand various kinds of scientific representations in terms of cognitive artifacts. It introduces a novel functional taxonomy of cognitive artifacts prevalent in scientific practice, which covers a huge diversity of their formats, vehicles, and functions. It is argued that toolboxes, conceptual frameworks, theories, models, and
individual hypotheses can be understood as supporting our cognitive performance in scientific practice. While all these entities are external representations, their function can be best understood through the conceptual lens of wide cognition. The functional approach
suggests that the assessment of knowledge representation in science should be based on functions that cognitive artifacts help us perform. By providing a conceptual link between the functionality of artifacts and their virtues, this approach also recommends an empirical approach to the study of virtues. This implies that the cognitive approach to the study of science can offer some guidance in recent philosophical debates around the nature of
scientific theories or models.
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