THE GAME OF SCIENCE,
Abstract
Conditions for the development of an aesthetic for science are propounded. Consideration of the subject includes the question as to whether the pursuit and practice of science can be regarded as seeking the structure of spontaneous creativity. The most likely manner by which the structure of spontaneous creativity can be handled is concluded to be the 'game of science.' 'Play' is claimed to be the object of the game and to bear the same relation to the professional activity of the scientist, i.e. organized thought, that physical exercise bears to everyone. The course of scientific play leads to full exercise of intuition within the rules of scientific method, which rules for the purpose of game play are not the same as those for scientific work. The ordering conception of the game is the notion of sysem to which each game must conform, the system itself conforming to the requirements of an equilibrium system. An example of a simple game would be to show how a business firm could be driven to bankruptcy by one or all of a number of actions. An example of a complex game would be g design a utopia to replace the City of Los Angeles. The report includes sections on the structure, rules, and postulates of the games.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0618730
Entities
People
- T. A. Cowan
Organizations
- RAND Corporation