A quantitative study of biologists in the 18th and 19th centuries

Abstract

In recent literature dealing with the study of science and history of science increasing attention has been given to quantitative research of science as a special social institution. Main objects of these studies are the dynamics of quantity and structure of scientists, as well as change in forms of their professional organization. The understanding of regularities in the development of the scientific community is essential for the formulation of reasonable scientific policies. However, the experience shows that tendencies of this kind cannot be revealed if the study of science is restricted to the last two or three decades. It is necessary to examine sufficiently long periods of history during which several generations of scientists changed, large variations occured both in the internal scientific situation and in the socio-economic and concrete historical conditions of the development of science.