Burian, Richard M. (2008) On microRNA and the Need for Exploratory Experimentation in Post-Genomic Molecular Biology. [Preprint]
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Abstract
This paper is devoted to an examination of the discovery, characterization, and analysis of the functions of microRNAs, which also serves as a vehicle for demonstrating the importance of exploratory experimentation in current (post-genomic) molecular biology. The material on microRNAs is important in its own right: it provides important insight into the extreme complexity of regulatory networks involving components made of DNA, RNA, and protein. These networks play a central role in regulating development of multicellular organisms and illustrate the importance of epigenetic as well as genetic systems in evolution and development. The examination of these matters yields principled arguments for the historicity of the functions of key biological molecules and for the indispensability of exploratory experimentation in contemporary molecular biology as well as some insight into the complex interplay between exploratory experimentation and hypothesis-driven science. This latter result is not only of importance for philosophy of science, but also of practical importance for the evaluation of grant proposals, although the elaboration of this latter claim must be left for another occasion.
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| Item Type: | Preprint | ||||||
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| Additional Information: | This is one of a group of three papers (plus an introduction by C. Kenneth Waters) on exploratory experimentation in recent molecular life sciences. The other papers are by Kevin Elliott and Maureen O'Malley; preprints of the articles are available on the PhilSci Archive: http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00003981/ http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00003988/ http://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/archive/00003985/ | ||||||
| Keywords: | microRNA, exploratory experimentation, molecular biology, post-genomic biology, complexity of organisms, limitations on theoretical explanation | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics General Issues > Theory Change General Issues > Experimentation |
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| Depositing User: | Richard Burian | ||||||
| Date Deposited: | 14 Apr 2008 | ||||||
| Last Modified: | 07 Oct 2010 15:16 | ||||||
| Item ID: | 3982 | ||||||
| Subjects: | Specific Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology/Genetics General Issues > Theory Change General Issues > Experimentation |
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| Date: | April 2008 | ||||||
| URI: | https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/3982 |
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