Mikhail I. MIKESHIN Empress Catherine II Saint-Petersburg Mining University
2 build., 21st Line, Vasilievsky Island, Saint Petersburg, 199106, Russian Federation
Research Director, the Problem Lab of Social Sciences & Humanities
Doctor of Science (Philosophy)
доцент
e-mail: mikeshin_mi@pers.spmi.ru
ORCID: 0000-0002-5901-0639
«Flame Furnaces»: three Pages of Introduction into Problems of ScienceAbstract: The article deals with representatives of engineering culture in Russia – professionals who existed, as it were, in two worlds at the same time – academic (university) and practical (factory). Their writings often demonstrate a desire to evaluate the role of their science and practice in a broad economic and political context, to understand the history and trends in the scientific and industrial development of their field. As an example, a three-page introduction by the famous Russian metallur-gist V. E. Grum-Grzhimailo to his fundamental book “Flame Furnaces” is analyzed. In this short text, the author touches on scientific issues that are essentially epistemological. In describing his concept, he talks about the five effects of a good theory: confirmation by practice; drawing conclu-sions; change in "scientific common sense"; the need to convince specialists that the theory works in practice; increasing the speed and quality of training in the field of this theory. What was previ-ously intuition and experience of practitioners, thanks to a working theory has turned into science. The famous metallurgist sets an example of strict adherence to scientific ethics, naming all those who helped him in practical and theoretical work over a quarter of a century. He criticizes the shortcomings of the existing engineering education system for the fact that both teachers and stu-dents tend to memorize ready-made formulas without fully understanding them. He pays tribute to his great predecessor M. V. Lomonosov, on whose explanation he relies, and demonstrates how the development and widespread application of the theory is hampered by familiar but inappropriate terminology. As a result, we have a description by the famous scientist of the formation, development and application of his successful theory, presented in literate and at the same time simple lan-guage. Grum-Grzhimailo emphasizes the importance for the work of professionals of the atmosphere in which it takes place. An unfavorable atmosphere of ridicule and mistrust greatly hinders his work, but no less obstacles are created by the absence of teachers in the provinces, while professors are forced to hide from their work in small positions in big cities.
Key words: academic culture, V. E. Grum-Grzhimailo, epistemology, theory, scientific ethics, engineering education, M. V. Lomonosov, practice, terminology.
References:
- Spisok lits, okonchivshikh kurs v Gornom Institute s 1773 po 1923 god [List of persons who completed a course at the Mining Institute from 1773 to 1923] (1923). Gornyĭ No 11. P. 747–763 (In Russian).
- Grum-Grzhimailo V. E. (1932). Plamennye pechi: s prilozheniem stat’i professora I. G. Es’mana «K teorii dvizheniii͡a gazov v metallurgicheskikh pechakh» [Flame furnaces: with the addition of Professor I. G. Esman’s article “On the theory of gas movement in metallurgical furnaces”]. Leningrad: Uchebno-tekhnicheskoe izdatel’stvo KUBUCh; Gosmashmetizdat. 472 p. (Vstuplenie. P. VII–IX) (In Russian).
- Grum-Grzhimailo V.E. (1912). Osnovy pravil’noĭ konstruktsii pecheĭ [Basics of proper furnace design]. St. Petersburg: Russkoe metallurgicheskoe obshchestvo. 40 p. (In Russian).
- Grum-Grzhimailo V.E. (1933). Prokatka i kalibrovka [Rolling and sizing]. Leningrad: Leningradskai͡a 127 p.
- Lomonosov M. V. Pervye osnovanii͡a metallurgii, ili rudnykh del [The principles of metallurgy, or ore mining] (1763). St. Petersburg: Pri Imp. Akademii nauk. 417 p. (In Russian).
- Pis’mo V. E. Grum-Grzhimailo – V. V. Nikitinu, 4 fevrali͡a 1924 g. [Letter from V. E. Grum-Grzhimailo to V. V. Nikitin, February 4, 1924]. Iz bumag metallurga V. E. Grum-Grzhimailo. URL: http://az.lib.ru/g/grumgrzhimajlo_w_e/text_1924_iz_ bumag.shtml (Accessed 17.09.2023) (In Russian).
For Citation: Mikeshin, M. (2023) «Flame Furnaces»: three Pages of Introduction into Problems of Science. International Journal of Cultural Research, 4 (53). 73–81. DOI: 10.52173/2079-1100_2023_4_73
DOI: 10.52173/2079-1100_2023_4_73