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Many researchers insist that computational methods will transform the historical profession, while an equally large number reject these claims as unwarranted hype. In this study, we attempt to place the debate in historical and social context. The article is divided into three parts. The first part offers a brief review of computational history. We ask whether the “computational turn” bears any resemblance to quantitative history, and how it fits within the digital humanities. The second part describes our recent attempts to apply computational methods to an existing project in the history of science using a standardized workflow. We demonstrate that each step of the workflow adds another layer of subjectivity. The third part reflects on what computational methods mean for the historical profession. We systematically review the positive aspects of computational history (open access, interdisciplinary collaboration, and new perspectives) as well as the negative aspects (inequality, fragility, and the threat of automation), and we offer prescriptions based on our experiences.
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Ossification patterns of the carpus and tarsus in salamanders and impacts of preaxial dominance on the fin-to-limb transition
Preaxial dominance in the mesopodium is limited to distal carpals/tarsals and facilitates digit reduction in early tetrapods.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1902242
- PAR ID:
- 10448521
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Science Advances
- Volume:
- 8
- Issue:
- 41
- ISSN:
- 2375-2548
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abq7669
