SSK – Sociology of Scientific Knowledge, a.k.a. Social Studies of Knowledge
Previous to SSK:
“Internalist” accounts – strictly rational, technical. The “black box.”
“Externalist” accounts not about content of science itself, merely its social “context” --about institutions, funding, personnel etc.
Thus a “biased science” theory could explain how the Mertonian norms of scientific objectivity could be violated by external influence. This means that social forces only introduce error; that science operates best when it is pure, social-free objectivity.
But SSK claims there is no rigid internal/external boundary; that science is “thoroughly” social.
a. from Political Theory
Marx and Freud (19th, early
b. from Sociology
Ludwig Fleck, Karl Manheim, Boris Hessen (1930s)
c. from Psychology
Lev Vygotsky (1920s)
B. Social Construction
i. Strong Programme: David Bloor
ii. Interests Analysis: Barry Barnes, David Edge, Donald MacKenzie.
i. EPOR: Harry Collins
C. Social-Technical Co-Construction (my term)
a. Boundary Objects (Star and Griesemer)
b. Actor-Network Theory (Latour)
c. Non-human actants (Latour, Callon, Haraway)