Peculiarities of scientific research: from classical determinism to synergistic models

Abstract

The article provides a deep theoretical and methodological analysis of the evolution of approaches to the organization of scientific activity in the context of teaching the university discipline «Methodology of Scientific Research». The process of forming research competencies of higher education students is considered as a consistent epistemological ascent - from the basic stage of mastering the conceptual and terminological apparatus to the construction of complex interdisciplinary synergistic models. It is substantiated that the initial stage of entering science, associated with the study of terms, classifications and regulatory requirements, directly correlates with the paradigm of classical determinism. This approach, based on strict cause-and-effect conditioning, linearity and reductionism, is fundamental for the discipline of thinking, but reveals limitations when analyzing dynamic objects. The evolutionary transition to a non-classical stage is shown, which legitimized the factor of chance and probabilistic and statistical methods. Special attention is paid to the introduction of the post-nonclassical paradigm and synergistic methodology as the highest level of methodological maturity of a modern scientist. The didactic value of integrating such synergistic concepts as nonlinearity, microfluctuations, bifurcation points, attractors, and dynamic chaos into research practice is considered. It is demonstrated how, within the framework of probabilistic determinism, small changes at the level of the term system can radically restructure the macrostructure of research. It is concluded that the logic of teaching methodological disciplines at the university should reflect the historical transformation of scientific knowledge. This allows young scientists to form flexible nonlinear thinking and a post-nonclassical type of research culture, which is a necessary condition for successful modeling of complex open systems in the modern dynamic space. Three stages of scientific research are substantiated and competencies of higher education students: the lower stage (classical determinism – mastering the terminology system and regulatory algorithms), the middle stage (non-classical science – legitimization of chance and probabilistic methods), and the highest stage (post-non-classical synergetics – formation of non-linear thinking).