Achieving continuity: a story of stellar magnitude

Scientists tell a story of 2,000 years of stellar magnitude research that traces back to Hipparchus. This story of continuity in practices serves an important role in scientific education and outreach. STS scholars point out many ways that stories of continuity, like many narratives about science, a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in history and philosophy of science. Part A 2010-03, Vol.41 (1), p.86-94
Main Author: Evans, Michael S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Constitutive
Credibility
History of science
Narrative
Narratives
Practice
Science
Science education
Scientists
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Summary:Scientists tell a story of 2,000 years of stellar magnitude research that traces back to Hipparchus. This story of continuity in practices serves an important role in scientific education and outreach. STS scholars point out many ways that stories of continuity, like many narratives about science, are disconnected from practices. Yet the story of continuity in stellar magnitude is a powerful scientific achievement precisely because of its connection to practice. The historical development of star catalogues shows how specific recording practices connected past and present in a useful way. The narrative of continuity in stellar magnitude, however else it might be subject to STS critique of narrative, maintains its power because of its connection to practice. I suggest that more attention be paid to connections between practice and narrative in STS, and in particular to the ways that historical practices sustain narratives by connecting past and present.
ISSN:0039-3681
1879-2510
DOI:10.1016/j.shpsa.2009.12.007