In bio-medical experiments, we speak of “in vitro” and “in vivo”. By analogy, Stuart Kauffman does computer simulations and calls them experiments “in silico”. Could there be other kinds? Let us list them all.

In vitro – experiments in test tubes, flasks, beakers, or Petri dishes.

In vivo – experiments in living organisms: E. coli, yeast, fruit flies, mice, rabbits, humans. But are these all the same or different? They may be only partial “models” of each other.

In silica – computer simulations: mathematical (numerical) modelling of relationships too difficult to solve analytically.

In mensa – thought (“Gedanken”) experiments sometimes done by physicists; or by historians modelling the “counterfactual”. (“What would have happened if…”)

In spirito – experiments in mysticism, usually producing results inexpressible in words.

And experiments in various artistic media:

In lapido: sculpture.

In pigmento: painting.

In musico: music.

Some of these words are linguistic abominations, and better ones must be invented. However, the implication is clear: we experiment (seek answers to the truth) in many media, or play with meaningful patterns in different ways. The play or the search is basically the same, regardless of the medium. We must master the medium, in a technical way, before we can express the meaning, but it is the meaning which is important. The medium is NOT the message.