On the Methodology of Scientific Research in Classical Science

Abstract

An attempt is made to specify and order the basic terminology in methodology of scientific research in classical science. Three main areas of cognition areas are designated by means of simple schemes: material, objective and subjective; and three varieties of reality reflection (qualitative, qualitative and quantitative, quantitative) are determined. Using the concepts of “material”, “objective” and “subjective”, their following derivative pair relations are obtained: а) material ≡ material, b) material → objective, c) material → subjective, d) objective ≡ objective, e) objective → subjective, f) subjective ≡ subjective. By introducing the concepts of “object of cognition” and “subject of cognition” into the developed relations, a new reflection “extended scheme of relations (ESR)” is obtained: а) material (object) ≡ material (subject), b) material (object) → objective (subject), c) material (object) → subjective (subject), d) objective (object) ≡ objective (subject), e) objective (object) → субъективное (subject), f) subjective (object) ≡ subjective (subject), where ≡ is the identity law; → is the implication (logical operation at abstraction); “material” is the material formation, solid, substance, physical field, real system; “objective” is the property, quality, process, phenomenon et al.; “subjective” is the physical values, numbers and other mathematical constructs. ESR indicates the character (material, objective, subjective) of the object and subject of scientific research in general case. ESR shows that depending on the specific cognitive process the object and subject of research can theoretically represent in their nature both material formations and their objective aspects (properties), and also subjective constructions. It should be noted that ESR is the theoretical scheme obtained as the result of abstraction operation. That is why not all pair relations in ESR can have practical importance for classical science. Based on these initial statements it became possible to obtain a simple version of the categorical logical structure of the research procedure in classical science: reality, subject, object of research, subject of research, property, qualitative feature of the property, qualitative and quantitative feature of the property, quantitative feature.