Analogical Reasoning And Conceptual Change A Case Study Of Johannes Kepler.pdf

THE JOURNAL OF THE LEARNING SCIENCES, 6(l),3-40
Copyright m 1997, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc .
Analogical Reasoning and
Conceptual Change : A Case
Study of Johannes Kepler
Dedre Gentner and Sarah Brem
Department of Psychology
Northwestern University
Ronald W. Ferguson
Department puter Science
Northwestern University
Arthur B . Markman
Department of Psychology
Columbia University
Bjorn B. Levidow
Connect Soft, Inc.
Seattle, Washington
Phillip Wolff
Department of Psychology
Northwestern University
h D. Forbus
Department puter Science
Northwestern University
The work of Johannes Kepler offers clear examples of conceptual change . In this
article, using Kepler's work as a case study, we argue that analogical reasoning
Requests for reprints should be sent to Dedre Gentner, Department of Psychology, Northwestern
University, 2029 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208-2710 .
4 GENTNER ET AL .
facilitates change of knowledge in four ways : (a) highlighting, (b) projection, (c)
rerepresentation, and (d) restructuring. We present these four mechanisms within the
context of structure-mapping theory and putational implementation, the
structure-mapping engine. We exemplify these mechanisms using the extended
analogies Kepler used in developing a causal theory of ary motion .
The roads by which men arrive at their insights into celestial matters seem to me
almost as worthy of wonder as those matters in themselves .
-Johannes Kepler (as cited in Koestler, 1963, p . 261)
Analogy is an important mechanism of change of knowledge . Researchers studying
transfer of learning have shown that analogies to prior knowledge can foster insight
into new material (Bassok, 1990 ; Bassok & Holyoak, 1989; Catrambone & Holyoak,
1989; Dunbar, 1994; Forbus, Gentner, & Law, 1995 ; Gentner & Gentner, 1983 ;
Gentner, Rattermann, & Forbus, 1993 ; Gick & Holyoak, 1980,1983 ; Holyoak, Junn,
& Billman, 1984; Holyoak & Thagard, 1989