Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Out of the Petri Dish Endlessly Rocking: Reply to My Responders. |
| Authors: |
Labinger, Jay A.1 jalab@caltech.edu |
| Source: |
Social Studies of Science (Sage Publications, Ltd.). May95, Vol. 25 Issue 2, p341-348. 8p. |
| Subject Terms: |
*Cultural studies, Science & society, Philosophy of science, Social scientists, Professions |
| People: |
Labinger, Jay |
| Abstract: |
In the article, the author presents a response to various articles commenting on his article "Science As Culture: A View From the Petri Dish," published in this issue of the journal "Social Studies of Science." He is pleased that most of the responders appear to agree that science and Social and Cultural Studies of Science (SCS) are engaged in fundamentally similar activities. However, some of them disagree that SCS is like science, and also stands out in calling for a radical reconstruction of technoscience. The author's attack on relativism--that it is inconsistent with the unity of science in contrast to other disciplines, and hence either Nature strongly constrains scientific belief or else scientists must be somehow different from everyone else--provoked surprisingly little overt challenge. One distinction that the author and several responders sometimes fail to make is between the content of science and the process of science. Also, several responders express varying degrees of concern that the author is trying to "subvert their professional practice." Furthermore, he is in full agreement with another common theme--that SCS addresses a wide range of topics and questions. By no means are all of them suitable for collaboration or even of particular interest to scientists. |
| Database: |
Education Research Complete |
