Cognitive Metasciences

The systematic study of the cognitive sciences themselves—a second-order discipline that takes psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, linguistics, and related fields as its objects of inquiry. Cognitive metasciences ask meta-level questions about cognitive scientific knowledge: How do cognitive scientists know what they claim to know? What methods do different cognitive science disciplines use? How does cognitive scientific knowledge change over time? How do social, cultural, and institutional contexts shape cognitive science? What are the limits of cognitive scientific understanding? Cognitive metasciences are the cognitive sciences reflecting on themselves—the attempt to understand what cognitive science is, what it can achieve, and how it relates to other forms of knowledge. They're essential for cognitive science to be self-aware rather than merely productive, for cognitive scientists to understand their own practices rather than just practicing them.

Example: "Her cognitive metasciences research examined how the dominance of fMRI has shaped what questions get asked in neuroscience—not because other questions aren't important, but because the tool creates a field of visibility that attracts attention and funding. The science studying itself reveals its own biases."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Biological Metasciences

The systematic study of the biological sciences themselves—a second-order discipline that takes molecular biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, physiology, and related fields as its objects of inquiry. Biological metasciences ask meta-level questions about biological knowledge: How do biologists know what they claim to know? What methods do different biological disciplines use? How does biological knowledge change over time? How do social, cultural, and institutional contexts shape biology? What are the limits of biological understanding? Biological metasciences are the biological sciences reflecting on themselves—the attempt to understand what biology is, what it can achieve, and how it relates to other forms of knowledge. They're essential for biology to be self-aware rather than merely productive, for biologists to understand their own practices rather than just practicing them.

Example: "His biological metasciences research examined how the concept of the gene has changed over the past century—from abstract unit to molecular sequence to complex regulatory network. Biology studying its own concepts reveals that even the most fundamental categories evolve."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Natural Metasciences

The systematic study of the natural sciences themselves—a second-order discipline that takes physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, and related fields as its objects of inquiry. Natural metasciences ask meta-level questions about natural scientific knowledge: How do natural scientists know what they claim to know? What methods do different natural science disciplines use? How does natural scientific knowledge change over time? How do social, cultural, and institutional contexts shape natural science? What are the limits of natural scientific understanding? Natural metasciences are the natural sciences reflecting on themselves—the attempt to understand what natural science is, what it can achieve, and how it relates to other forms of knowledge. They're essential for natural science to be self-aware rather than merely successful, for natural scientists to understand their own practices rather than just practicing them.

Example: "Her natural metasciences research examined how the discovery of quantum mechanics forced physics to confront philosophical questions it had long ignored—not as a distraction from physics, but as essential to understanding what physics had discovered. Physics studying itself becomes philosophy."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Exact Metasciences

The systematic study of the exact sciences themselves—a second-order discipline that takes mathematics, logic, and related fields as its objects of inquiry. Exact metasciences ask meta-level questions about exact knowledge: How do mathematicians know what they claim to know? What methods do different areas of mathematics use? How does mathematical knowledge change over time? How do social, cultural, and institutional contexts shape exact science? What are the limits of formal understanding? Exact metasciences are mathematics and logic reflecting on themselves—the attempt to understand what exact science is, what it can achieve, and how it relates to other forms of knowledge. They're essential for exact science to be self-aware rather than merely practiced, for mathematicians and logicians to understand their own activities rather than just engaging in them.

Example: "His exact metasciences research examined how the development of non-Euclidean geometry transformed mathematics' understanding of itself—showing that axioms aren't self-evident truths but chosen frameworks, and that mathematics is the study of what follows from choices, not the discovery of eternal verities."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Formal Metasciences

The systematic study of the formal sciences themselves—a second-order discipline that takes logic, mathematics, systems theory, and related fields as its objects of inquiry. Formal metasciences ask meta-level questions about formal knowledge: How do formal scientists know what they claim to know? What methods do different formal disciplines use? How does formal knowledge change over time? How do social, cultural, and institutional contexts shape formal science? What are the limits of formal understanding? Formal metasciences are the formal sciences reflecting on themselves—the attempt to understand what formal science is, what it can achieve, and how it relates to other forms of knowledge. They're essential for formal science to be self-aware rather than merely practiced, for formal scientists to understand their own activities rather than just engaging in them.

Example: "Her formal metasciences research examined how Gödel's incompleteness theorems transformed logic's understanding of itself—showing that formal systems have inherent limits, and that the dream of complete, consistent foundations for mathematics is impossible. Logic studying itself discovered its own boundaries."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Kevin's Meatshed

A meatshed owned by Kevin where he will handle your meat and deliver some nice packages of meat.

Guy 1: Hey you want to catch some lunch, maybe hook up with some chicks tonight?

Guy 2: I'm fine, I just came from Kevin's Meatshed.

by BNaae October 23, 2011

Phenological foliar metachromation

Seasonal change of leaf color in trees and shrubs.

Phenological foliar metachromation due to leaf senescence leads to a beautiful array of fall colors.

by dnsjo September 18, 2024