Studying theory

We may only raise these questions. The development of the main mathematical tools allowing their study (theories of Markoff chains and of linear operators in Hilbert space) may, however, allow us to hope for progress in the coming years. ... 

Borun, M. and Adams, K.A. (1991) From hands on to minds on. Visitor Studies Theory, Research and Practice 4,115-120. 

Small, Mario L. 1999. Departmental conditions and the emergence of new disciplines Two cases in the legitimation of African-American Studies. Theory and Society 28 659-707. 

J. Bamchel, J. L. Hodeau, M. S. Lehmann, J. R. Regnard, C. Schlenker (1993) Neutron and Synchrotron Radiation for Condensed Matter Studies. Theory, Instruments and Methods. Volume 1. Springer Verlag. 

Philippe C. Hiberty studied theory at the University of Paris-Sud with W.J. Hehre, completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of L. Salem, and got a research position at the CNRS. In 1979 he started his postdoctoral research with J.I. Brauman at Stanford University and then with H.F. Schaefer III at Berkeley. He went back to Orsay to join the Laboratoire de Chimie Theorique, where he developed a research program based on valence bond theory. He became Directeur de Recherche in 1986, and in addition, he now teaches Quantum Chemistry at the Ecole Polytechnique in Palaiseau. His research interests are, among others, in the application of quantum chemistry and valence bond theory to fundamental concepts of organic chemistry... 

Biopolymers are both polar and ionic in character. They exhibit features characteristic of both polymeric solutes and of colloidal particles, giving complex behaviors difficult to describe simply. Enormous responses can occur at low frequencies. Minakata, Imai, and Oosawa have studied theory and experiment for solutions of the polyelectrolyte, tetra-JV-butylammonium polyacrylate (BU4NPA). They observed two low-frequency dielectric dispersion peaks, one at about 100,000 Hz, the other at about 1000 Hz. They suggest that the former is due to a bulk-bulk, Maxwell-Wagner process and that the later and slower process is... 

What is perhaps most noticeable about these approaches is that, within the field of PSC, the majority of studies so far adopt a functionalist, culture as causal attitude approach towards theory and measurement. Most studies involve the use of quantitative surveys very few studies in the mainstream medical literature are based on observation or the use of ethnographic studies. Theory still remains poorly defined in most studies (Halligan and Zecevic 2011), whilst other areas (e.g. contemporary work on risk - e.g. Aven et al. 2011 Ben-Ari and Or-Chen 2009) are much more developed. The field of PSC needs to move beyond an exclusive focus on the adoption of a functiorralist approach to culture and safety. Part of this will involve the involvement of other disciplines, as well as the use of other types of methods (e g. ethnography, qrralitative studies), whether in isolation or in a mixed method format. 

This collection of articles aims to study theory choice in the context of some key theoretical developments in the history of chemistry. The analysis shows that theories—however defined from a philosophical point of view—were first and foremost used in the context of particular, historically contingent practices pursued by specific communities and historical actors. The main goal of this volume is to bring together a history of chemical practices, and in so doing reveal that theory choice is conceptually more problematic than was originally conceived. 

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