Enabling the Revolution Or prospects for & challenges of a sound computational turn elucidated by an example from the history of ideas

@ariannabetti (UvA/ILLC)

Success

Sound methodology

2

Impact

Smart infrastructure

Case Creating a Computational History of Ideas

Case Creating a Computational History of Ideas

Methodology Models in the History of Ideas

Case Creating a Computational History of Ideas

Methodology Models in the History of Ideas

Challenge History of Ideas as a discipline

Case Creating a Computational History of Ideas

Structure of Euclid´s Elements (ca. 300 BC)

From: Raymond Llull, Arbor Scientiae (13th century)

D. Zeller, Hypothetical Model of the Evolution and Structure of Science (2007) 

10

Concepts in Motion ¢  The idea of science has changed through

time.

£  When and Where did these changes take place?

£  Who started disagreeing?

£  Who influenced whom?

Traditional methods

one concept, one author, one text…

2 0 1 3

30 million digitised

books

Topic modelling in Martha Ballard’s Diary

(1785-1812)

1. house work clear knit wk home wool removd washing kinds pickt helping banking chips taxes picking cleaning pikt pails 2. home clear washt baked cloaths helped washing wash girls pies cleand things room bak kitchen ironed apple seller scolt

COMPUTER methods

Methodology Models in the History of Ideas

Philosopher’s stone? ¢  build a certain well-delimited

amount of interpretation in the tools from the offset;

¢  work closely with computational experts to set up these very tools

¢  build a certain well-delimited amount of interpretation in the tools from the offset; £  make your interpretation

explicit! £  balance between framing

existing knowledge and allowing discovery

¢  work closely with computational experts to set up these very tools

Philosopher’s stone?

¢  build a certain well-delimited amount of interpretation in the tools from the offset; £  make your interpretation

explicit! £  balance between framing

existing knowledge and allowing discovery �  For this, use models!

¢  work closely with computational experts to set up these very tools

Philosopher’s stone?

go to http://twitter.com/ariannabetti

click on the CLARIAH link

keep the handout open on your screen

"   Structure of Euclid´s Elements (ca. 300 BC)

idea a = a1a2a3a4

core

a1a2a3a4

a1a2_a4

_a2_a3

margins

stability

change

replacement

Tarski’s Revolution: A New History ERC Starting Grant, 2008-2013

¢  History of the methodology of the deductive sciences + biology (history-of-ideas approach)

£  traced the development of concepts (1740-1940)

�  mathematical/logical e.g. axiom, consequence / grounding / explanation, variable, truth, domain

ERC: Main Hypothesis

Bolzano

Frege Tarski’s revolution

1837 1879

Lesniewski

1920s early 1930s

specific way in which Tarski understood truth

in the context of an axiomatic ideal of science

Alfred Tarski The concept of truth in the

languages of the deductive sciences

(1929-1933)

Stanisław Leśniewski, Fundamentals of a New

System of the Foundations of Mathematics

(1929)

Alfred Tarski The concept of truth in the

languages of the deductive sciences

(1929-1933)

Stanisław Leśniewski, Fundamentals of a New

System of the Foundations of Mathematics

(1929)

taught

(1) (2a, b) (3a, b) (4) (5) [6] [7]

(1) (2a, b) (3a, b) (4) (5) [6] [7]

Eigentliche Wissenschaft kann nur

diejenige genannt werden, deren Gewissheit apodiktisch ist; Erkenntnis, die bloß empirische Gewissheit enthalten kann, ist ein nur uneigentlich so genanntes Wissen. Dasjenige Ganze der Erkenntnis, was systematisch ist, kann schon darum Wissenschaft heißen und wenn die Verknüpfung der Erkenntnis in diesem System ein Zusammenhang von Gründen und Folgen ist, sogar rationale Wissenschaft. (AA 4: 468)

Die “eigentlichen” Wissen-

schaften zerfielen dann in apriorische Wissenschaften und in angewandte, in empirische, aber durchaus aus a priorischen Prinzipien “erklärende“ und sich selbst rechtfertigende. In allen eigentlichen Wissenschaften herrschte volkommene , d.i., denkbar größte Rationalität […]

Einleitung in die Philosophie: 296-297.

Kant 1786 Husserl 1922-23

A newspaper is better than a magazine / A seashore is a better place than the street / At first, it is better to run than to walk / You may have to try several times / It takes some skill but it's easy to learn / Even young children can enjoy it / Once successful, complications are minimal / Birds seldom get too close / Rain however, soaks in very fast / Too many people doing the same thing can also cause problems / One needs lots of room / If there are no complications, it can be very peaceful / A rock will serve as an anchor / If things break loose from it, however, you will not get a second chance. (Bransford & Johnson 1972)

Huh? A newspaper is better than a magazine / A seashore is a better place than the street / At first, it is better to run than to walk / You may have to try several times / It takes some skill but it's easy to learn / Even young children can enjoy it / Once successful, complications are minimal / Birds seldom get too close / Rain however, soaks in very fast / Too many people doing the same thing can also cause problems / One needs lots of room / If there are no complications, it can be very peaceful / A rock will serve as an anchor / If things break loose from it, however, you will not get a second chance. (Bransford & Johnson 1972)

Making and flying a kite! A newspaper is better than a magazine / A seashore is a better place than the street / At first, it is better to run than to walk / You may have to try several times / It takes some skill but it's easy to learn / Even young children can enjoy it / Once successful, complications are minimal / Birds seldom get too close / Rain however, soaks in very fast / Too many people doing the same thing can also cause problems / One needs lots of room / If there are no complications, it can be very peaceful / A rock will serve as an anchor / If things break loose from it, however, you will not get a second chance. (Bransford & Johnson 1972)

Challenge History of Ideas as a discipline

Four Objections to Lovejoy

i holism Spitzer, Hintikka ii conceptual change Mink

iii scope Bevir iv arbitrariness & biases Skinner

Success

Sound methodology

33

Impact

Smart infrastructure

http://ticclops.clarin.inl.nl/philostei/

Enabling the Revolution Or prospects for & challenges of a sound computational turn elucidated by an example from the history of ideas

@ariannabetti (UvA/ILLC)