Controlled Experiments by Jutta Schickore

Controlled Experiments by Jutta Schickore

Control is a key ingredient of scientific experimentation; arguably, an uncontrolled intervention or manipulation is not even a genuine experiment. Experiments in the life sciences, however, are notoriously difficult to control due to the complexity and variability of living things. This Element discusses general features of controlled experimentation, epistemic and practical aspects, and historical perspectives. It argues that controlled experimentation has a material-technical and a conceptual side. It shifts the focus from control experiments, comparisons with a control, to the broader issue of controlling for background factors as the epistemologically fundamental issue in experimentation. To understand the nature of controlled experimentation, one needs to consider the making - the design phase - of controlled experiments, particularly the conceptualization and treatment of background factors. The making of controlled experiments is at the same time constitutive for the knowledge that can be gained in the experiment, contingent on a research situation, and historically shaped.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781009494793
ISBN 10	1009494791
Title	Controlled Experiments
Author	Jutta Schickore
Series	Elements In The Philosophy Of Biology
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	2025-01-09
Number of pages	68
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.