Study On Chain Structure Of Scientific Discoveries Based On Knowledge Units

Scientific discovery is the most important action in Science. As the box of scientific knowledge, scientific literatures are renewing and creating that reflected the process of scientists’ created actions. Then, answer the questions such as1)how to present the knowledge structure using knowledge in literatures?2)what is the knowledge source of scientific discovery?3)how to analyze knowledge relationships among scientific discoveries in order to summarize general mode of scientific discovery is the main destination of this dissertation.Based on defination of root concepts and divided scientific discovery into two types: scientific fact discovery and scientific law discovery, general process of scientific discovery was summarized by related theories of Popper and Kuhn. Then, the concept of chain strucutre of scientific discovery was proposed and its general characteristic was summarized by Newton-Ortega Mode. Chain structure of scientific discovery contains two types:one is chain structure of scientific discovery itself and the other is chain reaction caused by a scientific discovery. Meanwhile, great scientific discovery in basic research will be transformed by technological science which presented by New Pasteur’s Quadrant so that chain structure of scientific discovery will break through and extend to technological area leading to technical innovation.Two theories, Popper’s Three World Theory and Zhao hongzhou’s Theory of knowledge dissociated and recombined, pointed out that the process of utilization and production of scientific literatures by scientists presented process of scientific discovery, led to knowledge relationships among literatures forming knowledge network. Based on relevant theories and concepts in knowledge metrics as well as the essence of co-citation relationship of references in scientific papers, methodology and indicators constructed and measured chain structure of scientific discovery on knowledge units were proposed to describes science development path caused by a scientific discovery from macro-level as well as knowledge source, knowledge structure and new knowledge production process of scientific discovery from micro-level on the view of knowledge dissociating,recombining and renewing.Accordingly, such knowledge chain and its structure is named chain structure of scientific discovery based on knowledge units.The results of case study of scientific fact discovery and scientific law discovery respectively proved that chain structure of scientific discovery based on knowledge units can be used to summarize patterns of different scientific discoveries and analyze their knowledge source,knowledge structure and process of evolution effectively. It supplies a new approach to study scientific discovery. Case study of the transformation process from science to technology were also analyzed to testing agent role played by technical science.