科学研究中的图像表征方法及其创新功能

Image representations in science and its innovation functions

图像表征是科学表征的三种基本形式之一,在科学创新中发挥着重要作用。与语言描述、数值表示等表征形式相比,图像表征的基本特征在于:能够提供关于研究对象的大量信息,能够直接给出研究对象的多层次的抽象信息,从而为研究者提供了广阔的思维空间和开展创新思维的基础。图像表征在科学研究中具有特殊的认识论地位,是开展创新研究的重要方法论工具。其创新功能主要表现在三个方面:(1)使研究对象的多层次的抽象信息成为直接可得到的,有助于创新性思想的形成;(2)图像与其表征对象的异质同构特征为创新思维的开展指示方向;(3)图像表征可以使研究者的意向信息突显出来,从而使研究者更易于创新性地研究对象的特定属性和规律。

There are three basic representation ways,namely,descriptions,images,and numeral lists.Descriptions are good at providing coarse-grained,qualitative and quantitative information.Numeral lists are good at providing specific quantitative information.Images,by contrast,can present vast amounts of information about a great many features of their objects.Besides,the way in which images encode such vast amounts of information allows viewers readily to Abstract a great number of claims from that information.Such immediate availability of a great many pieces of Abstract information gives image representations the very great epistemological weight,and makes them become the important tools of scientific innovation.The innovation function of image representations may be summed up as coming under three categories：（1） providing a lot of information across levels of Abstraction can help researchers to generate innovationhood ideas;（2） the isomorphism of images with the objects represented by them indicates new approaches for researchers;（3） image representations make it easy with the researcher＇s innovational intentions to study objects.