"Discuss to what extent advances in biochemical knowledge are dependent on methodological development" Angelina Lorenos

Essay by cosmotripUniversity, Bachelor'sA-, March 2004

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"Discuss to what extent advances in biochemical knowledge are dependent on methodological development"

DEFINTION OF DEVELOPMENT

Development is defined as; "Change identifiable as the fulfillment of possibilities inherent in an earlier state."

CONSIDERATION OF THE ASPECT OF TIME CONCERNING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN METHODOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS AND KNOWLEDGE

One way of looking at this issue is to consider that when there was a complete absence of biochemical knowledge, or indeed any type of knowledge, there was more information to uncover than later on, after some of this information had been revealed. Proceeding logically, this places limits on the possible advances that could be made, depending on how much time had elapsed from "the beginning". It is possible that the way of applying this knowledge could be a limiting factor in obtaining knowledge, in this way of considering the problem.

The alternative is assume that knowledge can be advanced to an infinite level, in which case the point in the development of knowledge overall cannot affect the amount of knowledge possible yet to come.

EXPANSION OF THE IDEA OF INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

There definitely exists a link between knowledge already available, which can be represented by technology, and the amount from that point which one can advance to. The very nature of association confirms this - the more ideas, the more possible routes of discovery, and the more possible routes of discovery available the greater the maximum possible fruition of further knowledge and technology. This train of thought simply works backwards from the stated definition of "development".

Taking the idea of technology to represent evidence of previous knowledge, it cannot actually exist in the absence of the knowledge used to create it; therefore this can be used as a conceptual start point. Technology and methods of approaching problems must therefore be...