Article ID: CBB001320174

Mediating Objects: Scientific and Public Functions of Models in Nineteenth-Century Biology (2013)

unapi

The aim of this article is to examine the scientific and public functions of two- and three-dimensional models in the context of three episodes from nineteenth-century biology. I argue that these models incorporate both data and theory by presenting theoretical assumptions in the light of concrete data or organizing data through theoretical assumptions. Despite their diverse roles in scientific practice, they all can be characterized as mediators between data and theory. Furthermore, I argue that these different mediating functions often reflect their different audiences that included specialized scientists, students, and the general public. In this sense, models in nineteenth-century biology can be understood as mediators between theory, data, and their diverse audiences.

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https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB001320174/

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Authors & Contributors
Hopwood, Nick
Breidbach, Olaf
Wogawa, Stefan
Helena Gonçalves
Simão Mateus
Debora L. Silverman
Publishers
University of California, Los Angeles
Dartmouth College, published by University Press of New England
Concepts
Biology
Visual representation; visual communication
Science education and teaching
Public understanding of science
Science and politics
Darwinism
Time Periods
19th century
20th century, early
20th century
Early modern
Modern
21st century
Places
Germany
Dresden (Germany)
Basel (Switzerland)
Mediterranean region
Americas
Switzerland
Institutions
Universidade do Porto
Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
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