Expeditionen in die Wissenschaftsdynamik

Abstract: The purpose of the subsequent investigation into dynamic development patterns of the scientific system lies primarliy in the combination of two hitherto nearly unrelated fields of analyses, viz. nonlinear systems dynamics or, alternatively, theories of self-organization on the one hand, and sociology of science on the other hand. In the first and the second article it will be shown that these two realms of inquiry can be linked together in a rather promising and potentially fruitful manner. Seen from the newly constructed perspective of nonlinear systems dynamics, the third piece of work, then, is devoted more concretely to the development patterns in the Austrian social sciences before and after the period of the thirties. Finally, the fourth part in this series of articles will demonstrate that the new and highly formalized paths towards modelling and assessing the processes of scientific evolution can be successfully applied, under some necessary modifications and adaptations, to the whole range of scientific disciplines.;