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Chapter 8
Mapping Science
A critical part of a scientific activity is to discern how a new idea is related to what
we know and what may become possible. As the number of new scientific publica-
tions arrives at a rate that rapidly outpaces our capacity of reading, analyzing, and
synthesizing scientific knowledge, we need to augment ourselves with information
that can guide us through the rapidly growing intellectual space effectively. In this
chapter, we address some fundamental issues concerning with what information
may serve as early signs of potentially valuable ideas. In particular, we are interested
in information that is routinely available and derivable upon the publication of a
scientific paper without assuming the availability of additional information such as
its usage and citations.
8.1
System Perturbation and Structural Variation
Many phenomena in the world share essential properties of a complex adaptive
system (CAS). Complex adaptive systems are a special type of complex system.
The study of CAS focuses on complex, emergent, and macroscopic properties of
the system. John H. Holland defines a CAS as a system that has a large number of
components that interact, adapt, or learn. These components are often called agents.
The most important properties of a CAS are concerned with a large population
of agents, non-linear and dynamic interactions between agents, open and blurred
boundaries, a constant flow of energy to maintain its organization, and autonomous
agents, and self-organizing mechanisms such as feedback.
In this chapter, we introduce a conceptualization of science as a complex adaptive
system and propose a theory that may have the potential of identifying early signs
of transformative ideas in science. We will demonstrate how the CAS perspective
can be used to detect information that triggers transformative and holistic changes
to the system.
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