The Social Studies of Science

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• The Social Studies of Science
• Merton Kuhn SSK SSP

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Robert Merton Kuhn SSK SSP
Science as a social institution

• how science is organized and regulates itself
• emphasis on nature of relationships
• social aspects of production of knowledge
• no discussion about content or nature of
  knowledge
• knowledge blackboxed due to empirism economical
  metaphor
• scientific knowledge independent of scientific
  activity

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Merton Thomas Kuhn SSK SSP
science as a social community

• The Structure of Scientific Revolution (1962)
• scientific criteria not universal
• development of scientific knowledge as object of
  sociological research
• external factors play a role in scientific
  choices

4
Merton Kuhn SSK SSP
How are cognitive and social aspects of science
related?

• obduracy of classification due to
• normative value
• economic metaphor
• philosophy / sociology of science
• science is social
• empirical naturalistic

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Merton Kuhn SSK SSP
Macro and Micro Sociological Analysis

• Macro Edinburgh School
• Barnes, Bloor, Shapin
• interest of relevant groups
• Micro Bath School
• Collins
• Empirical Program of Relativism (EPOR)
• interpretative flexibility
• closure
• wider context

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Classification of social and cognitive aspects
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Merton Kuhn SSK SSP
Sociology of Scientific Practice

• investigation of activities, judgements and
  interpretations
• form of methodological internalism
• microscopic study
• how over why questions
• constructivist approach

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Merton Kuhn SSK SSP
Sociology of Scientific Practice

• linguistic turn
• Latour Woolgar
• process of persuasion
• Analysis of practical reasoning
• -Knorr-Cetina, Lynch
• analysis of scientific writing
• Discourse analysis
• Gilbert Mulkay
• study of the organization of meaning

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Merton Kuhn SSK SSP
Sociology of Scientific Practice

• Breakdown of classification scheme
• process of negotiation
• meaning of scientific observations and
  interpretations are socially constructed through
  contesting and modification
• scientific outcomes may depend on
• argumentative skills
• prestige
• material resources

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Merton Kuhn SSK SSP
Sociology of Scientific Practice

• Core of science is social because
• Process of persuasion
• contextual contingenties
• Breakdown of classification scheme
• But in transition from scientists knowledge
  claim to taken-for-granted fact we see
  construction of classification scheme
• distinction between cognitive - social is result
  instead of building blocks of the process of
  scientific inquiry