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Letters and Scientific Communities

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Abstract

We enter the debate about the possibility of collaboration and of rich exchanges among physically distant individuals by offering a literacy perspective on communication to show how the dimensions of writing enable the development of scientific communities. We illustrate this perspective with an analysis of the correspondences of one philosopher and one scientist – Descartes and Emilie du Chatelet, as well as with a description of one of the most prominent communities of scientists and philosophers in Europe, the Republic of Letters. Our findings show that writing is essential for the expression and exchange of ideas, abstractions, complex thoughts, demonstrations, arguments – in sum, for the entire scientific enterprise. We discuss the implications of the literacy perspective and of our findings for the current understanding of online intellectual communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Metiu, Anca & Fayard, Anne-Laure, 2008. "Letters and Scientific Communities," ESSEC Working Papers DR 08016, ESSEC Research Center, ESSEC Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebg:essewp:dr-08016
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    1. Bénédicte Vidaillet & V. d'Estaintot & P. Abécassis, 2005. "Introduction," Post-Print hal-00287137, HAL.
    2. Bruce Kogut & Anca Metiu, 2001. "Open-Source Software Development and Distributed Innovation," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 17(2), pages 248-264, Summer.
    3. Fayard, Anne-Laure & Metiu, Anca, 2008. "Beyond Orality and Literacy: Letters and Organizational Communication," ESSEC Working Papers DR 08014, ESSEC Research Center, ESSEC Business School.
    4. Richard L. Daft & Robert H. Lengel, 1986. "Organizational Information Requirements, Media Richness and Structural Design," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(5), pages 554-571, May.
    5. Metiu, Anca & Obodaru, Otilia, 2008. "Women's Professional Identity Formation in the Free/Open Source Software Community," ESSEC Working Papers DR 08009, ESSEC Research Center, ESSEC Business School.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Orality and Literacy; Scientific Communities; Online Communities; Letters; Organizational Communication;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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