Developments in genetics since World War II are leading us to revise our understanding of the processes of scientific change. These developments include the "molecularization" of genetics; i.e., the apparent reformulation of classical genetics in terms of DNA and the subsequent advances in our explanatory and investigative practices. Dr. Waters is examining the new kind of changes taking place in genetics, its underlying strategy, and how this new strategy works to bring about progressive developments in explanatory and investigative practices in science. The relationship between classical Mendelian genetics and molecular biology is viewed by philosophers of science as a paradigm of non- reduction, i.e. , as an example of scientific progress where the molecular-level account answers new questions, but does not reformulate the classical theory or provide better answers to the previously answered questions. The genetics example plays a prominent role in debates about the prospects of reduction in other sciences, the nature of explanation, and the metaphysical organization of the world. The appearance of the Mendelian example alongside the usual ones in physics marks a turning point. Philosophers now look to biology for insights into the nature of scientific knowledge. Dr. Waters, however, believes these current views are mistaken and have prevented a proper understanding of the changes that have taken place in genetics. In this study, Dr. Waters is examining in parallel the central concepts, explanatory models and investigative practices of both classical genetics and molecular biology. He hopes to show how molecular biology has deepened the understanding of heredity first provided by classical genetics and then how theoretical connections between classical genetics and molecular biology have led to a fruitful interplay between investigative practices of genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry. From this, he draws a new model of antireductionism fo r all of the Science and Technology Studies disciplines.
