Abstract

Scientific thought is generally characterized as methodical and rational. I would like to present here an opposing view which treats science as a non-systematic activity, where serendipity, tinkering and imitation, rather than so-called rational thought, characterizes it. All these kinds of acts, which are considered to be a-rational, are related to an evolutionary view of science. I will deal here with a version of evolutionary epistemology as applied to science. The combination of variation and competition for survival is analogous to the elements of Darwinian evolution. I will give some examples for this phenomenon in science from historical cases and Examples for this phenomenon in science are illustrated by some historical cases, in particular by the evolution of theories of internal symmetries in particle physics.