Life History of a Knowledge Claim

This research examines how a particular idea, the opiate receptor concept, was incorporated into the work of a group of scientists, and how the growing understanding of the receptor contributed to a sense of momentum in the field.

Abstract

This research examines how a particular idea, the opiate receptor concept, was incorporated into the work of a group of scientists. It focuses on the period of time during which the idea, previously a mere abstraction, began to receive experimental support. The study analyzes how various groups of researchers within neuroscience used the early experimental results, and how the growing understanding of the receptor contributed to a sense of momentum in the field.