TY - JOUR
T1 - Reductionist and Antireductionist Perspectives on Dynamics
AU - Jonker, C.M.
AU - Treur, J.
AU - Wijngaards, W.C.A.
N1 - PPJ
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - In this paper, reduction and its pragmatics are discussed in light of the development in computer science of languages to describe processes. The design of higher-level description languages within computer science has had the aim of allowing for description of the dynamics of processes in the (physical) world on a higher level avoiding all (physical) details of these processes. The higher description levels developed have dramatically increased the complexity of applications that came within reach. The pragmatic attitude of a (scientific) practitioner in this area has become inherently anti-reductionist, but based on well-established reduction relations. The paper discusses how this perspective can be related to reduction in general, and to other domains where description of dynamics plays a main role, in particular, biological and cognitive domains.
AB - In this paper, reduction and its pragmatics are discussed in light of the development in computer science of languages to describe processes. The design of higher-level description languages within computer science has had the aim of allowing for description of the dynamics of processes in the (physical) world on a higher level avoiding all (physical) details of these processes. The higher description levels developed have dramatically increased the complexity of applications that came within reach. The pragmatic attitude of a (scientific) practitioner in this area has become inherently anti-reductionist, but based on well-established reduction relations. The paper discusses how this perspective can be related to reduction in general, and to other domains where description of dynamics plays a main role, in particular, biological and cognitive domains.
U2 - 10.1080/0951508021000041987
DO - 10.1080/0951508021000041987
M3 - Article
SN - 0951-5089
VL - 15
SP - 381
EP - 409
JO - Philosophical Psychology
JF - Philosophical Psychology
ER -