Cognitive Artifacts and Their Virtues in Scientific Practice

Abstract One of the critical issues in philosophy science is to understand scientific knowledge. This paper proposes a novel approach study reflection on science, called “cognitive metascience”. In particular, it offers new understanding knowledge as constituted by various kinds representations, framed cognitive artifacts. It introduces functional taxonomy artifacts prevalent practice, covering huge diversity their formats, vehicles, and functions. As consequence, toolboxes, conceptual frameworks, theories, models, individual hypotheses can be understood supporting our performance. also shown that empirically studying how function, we may discover hitherto undiscussed virtues vices these representations. relies use language technology analyze discourse empirically, which allows us uncover metascientific views researchers. This, turn, become part normative considerations concerning