Toward the History of Computer Simulations: A Comparative Study in Science and Engineering

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26750097
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology/History of science and technology
• Research Institution: National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Ariga Nobumichi 独立行政法人国立科学博物館, 理工学研究部, 研究員 (90710921)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: シミュレーション / 数値予報 / 応答解析 / 計算物理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated the beginnings of computer simulation in Japan through case studies on numerical weather prediction of a typhoon and earthquake-resistant design of a skyscraper. In addition to these, the study considered what is common or different about simulations from one scientific field to another. To sum up, for further studies on the history of computer simulations it seems particularly relevant to pay attention to such aspects as the continuity of simulations and older methods, the relationship of a computer simulation to other ways of research, and the epistemological status of the laws or equations serving as a basis of the simulation. The problems in the novel research field of “history of computer simulations” have been made more specific.

Free Research Field

科学史