Experimentalist
Encyclopedia
"Experimentalist" is a blanket term for all sorts of scientist
s engaged more in experiment
al activity than in the theoretical side of their science
s.
The word "experimenter" emphasizes the person running an experiment, usually in a single instance; "experimentalist," by contrast, indicates a pattern in a person's approach to discovering knowledge.
"Experimentalist" is also used in reference to a personality
type that builds up gradually to a work. Here the term is not limited to science
, but is frequently used in relation to artist
s. Famous "experimentalists" could include Cézanne, Mark Twain
or Robert Frost
. The opposite of being an Experimentalist is to be a Conceptualist
.
Colloquially, an Experimentalist has been defined as "one who prefers to ascertain by finding out."
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s engaged more in experiment
Experiment
An experiment is a methodical procedure carried out with the goal of verifying, falsifying, or establishing the validity of a hypothesis. Experiments vary greatly in their goal and scale, but always rely on repeatable procedure and logical analysis of the results...
al activity than in the theoretical side of their science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
s.
The word "experimenter" emphasizes the person running an experiment, usually in a single instance; "experimentalist," by contrast, indicates a pattern in a person's approach to discovering knowledge.
"Experimentalist" is also used in reference to a personality
Personality psychology
Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that studies personality and individual differences. Its areas of focus include:* Constructing a coherent picture of the individual and his or her major psychological processes...
type that builds up gradually to a work. Here the term is not limited to science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, but is frequently used in relation to artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s. Famous "experimentalists" could include Cézanne, Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
or Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
. The opposite of being an Experimentalist is to be a Conceptualist
Conceptual art
Conceptual art is art in which the concept or idea involved in the work take precedence over traditional aesthetic and material concerns. Many of the works, sometimes called installations, of the artist Sol LeWitt may be constructed by anyone simply by following a set of written instructions...
.
Colloquially, an Experimentalist has been defined as "one who prefers to ascertain by finding out."