Many researchers insist that computational methods will transform the historical profession, while an equally large number reject these claims as unwarranted hype. This study attempts to place the debate in historical and social context. The essay is divided into three parts. The first part offers a brief review of computational history. It asks whether the “computational turn” bears any resemblance to quantitative history and how it fits within the digital humanities. The second part describes the authors’ recent attempts to apply computational methods to an existing project in the history of science using a standardized workflow. It demonstrates that each step of the workflow adds another layer of subjectivity. The third part reflects on what computational methods mean for the historical profession. It systematically reviews the positive aspects of computational history (open access, interdisciplinary collaboration, and new perspectives) as well as the negative aspects (inequality, fragility, and the threat of automation) and offers prescriptions based on the authors’ experiences.

中文翻译：

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科学史和历史科学：计算方法、算法和该领域的未来

许多研究人员坚持认为，计算方法将改变历史专业，而同样多的研究人员认为这些说法是毫无根据的炒作。本研究试图将辩论置于历史和社会背景中。论文分为三个部分。第一部分简要回顾了计算历史。它询问“计算转向”是否与定量历史有任何相似之处，以及它如何适应数字人文学科。第二部分描述了作者最近使用标准化工作流程将计算方法应用于科学史上现有项目的尝试。它表明工作流程的每一步都增加了另一层主观性。第三部分反映了计算方法对历史专业的意义。