Jimena Canales: "Science and the History of Non-Existent Things"

Jimena Canales, University of Illinois-Urbana, Champaign: "Science and the History of Non-Existent Things"

Abstract: Discovery, either when considered as a process of uncovering or of creation, involves the bringing into existence of the new. What does not or does not yet exist plays a predominant role in science and technology. What do scientists look for and how does their way of searching influence what they find? The antechamber of discovery is not as, as is frequently thought, an inscrutable “private art” marked by a punctual “Eureka!” moment. It is a rich cultural, social, economic and political space where sought-after imaginary perpetrators have recognizable characteristics that have remained fairly constant throughout many centuries.  A study of the half-empty glass of scientific research reveals surprising patterns in the search agendas that have shaped modern science and technology.