Biopolym. Cell. 1996; 12(1):29-41.
http://dx.doi.org/10.7124/bc.00040F
Some paradigms of molecular biology and genetics and the history of sciences
1Golubovsky M. D.
  1. St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute for the History of Science and Technology named after S. I. Vavilov, RAS
    Universitetskaya naberezhnaya, 5., Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation, 199164

Abstract

Using some examples of perception of new discoveries in the field of general and molecular genetics we compared two approaches to the understanding of science development – classicaland nontraditional one. Firstapproach imagines a science development as a process of step by step accumulation of new facts which are obtained according to some universally recognized criteria. Nontraditional approach sees an essence in the regular change of conceptions and scientific paradigms. New hypothesis are usually put forward and accepted or neglected according to some personal individual criteria and paradigm adopted. A core of G. Mendel discovery is not afield of new facts but the new paradigm about nature of heredity and methods of its investigation. This mendelian paradigm determined the accumulation and interpretation of knowledge in the field of general and molecular genetics. At the same time a lot of facts which did not correspond to the paradigms of chromosomal theory of inheritance were usually neglected or rejected. Some controversies connected with the birth of mobile genetics and understanding of science development are briefly discussed.
Full text: (PDF, in Russian)

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