Through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective
ABSTRACT The four polar years are used as windows for highlighting changes in the character of polar research over the past 125 years. The approach taken may be seen as one of an archaeology of knowledge. As such it fixes on four separate strata in the history of science and seeks to lay bare distin...
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2009
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409008316 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247409008316 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0032247409008316 2024-03-03T08:38:07+00:00 Through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective Elzinga, Aant 2009 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409008316 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247409008316 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Polar Record volume 45, issue 4, page 313-336 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development journal-article 2009 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409008316 2024-02-08T08:48:51Z ABSTRACT The four polar years are used as windows for highlighting changes in the character of polar research over the past 125 years. The approach taken may be seen as one of an archaeology of knowledge. As such it fixes on four separate strata in the history of science and seeks to lay bare distinctive features in each of these. To simplify, the focus is selective, mainly presenting three types of aspect for each year. The first is the character of the instruments and research technologies employed in each, and the second is the kinds of problems tackled, while the third is the associated view or ideal of science that stands out. The latter aspect has to do with epistemology. The paper suggests that whereas work during the first International Polar Year (IPY) reflected an empirical inductivist philosophy of science, during the second IPY a mix of problem oriented, and hypothesis driven, approaches existed alongside inductivism. By the time of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) the theoretical foundations of polar research had grown stronger and much of the focus had shifted to larger scale geophysical processes. Finally, today's ambition to develop an integrated Earth system science reflects an ideal that is systemic, constructivist and predictive. Such epistemological features are evident in some of the most advanced forms of computer aided analysis of Arctic and Antarctic processes, as well as in visualisation methodologies used to interpret and present data, concepts, models and theories. This latest approach is evident in some of the planning and agenda setting documents generated under the auspices of the current IPY. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Arctic International Polar Year IPY Polar Record Cambridge University Press Arctic Antarctic Polar Record 45 4 313 336 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
spellingShingle |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development Elzinga, Aant Through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective |
topic_facet |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
description |
ABSTRACT The four polar years are used as windows for highlighting changes in the character of polar research over the past 125 years. The approach taken may be seen as one of an archaeology of knowledge. As such it fixes on four separate strata in the history of science and seeks to lay bare distinctive features in each of these. To simplify, the focus is selective, mainly presenting three types of aspect for each year. The first is the character of the instruments and research technologies employed in each, and the second is the kinds of problems tackled, while the third is the associated view or ideal of science that stands out. The latter aspect has to do with epistemology. The paper suggests that whereas work during the first International Polar Year (IPY) reflected an empirical inductivist philosophy of science, during the second IPY a mix of problem oriented, and hypothesis driven, approaches existed alongside inductivism. By the time of the International Geophysical Year (IGY) the theoretical foundations of polar research had grown stronger and much of the focus had shifted to larger scale geophysical processes. Finally, today's ambition to develop an integrated Earth system science reflects an ideal that is systemic, constructivist and predictive. Such epistemological features are evident in some of the most advanced forms of computer aided analysis of Arctic and Antarctic processes, as well as in visualisation methodologies used to interpret and present data, concepts, models and theories. This latest approach is evident in some of the planning and agenda setting documents generated under the auspices of the current IPY. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Elzinga, Aant |
author_facet |
Elzinga, Aant |
author_sort |
Elzinga, Aant |
title |
Through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective |
title_short |
Through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective |
title_full |
Through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective |
title_fullStr |
Through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective |
title_full_unstemmed |
Through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective |
title_sort |
through the lens of the polar years: changing characteristics of polar research in historical perspective |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409008316 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247409008316 |
geographic |
Arctic Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Arctic International Polar Year IPY Polar Record |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Arctic International Polar Year IPY Polar Record |
op_source |
Polar Record volume 45, issue 4, page 313-336 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0032247409008316 |
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Polar Record |
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45 |
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4 |
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313 |
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336 |
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1792504750959230976 |