Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) Sociology of Science is divided into 2 different schools 1.REGULAR PROGRAM --traditional early sociology 2.STRONG PROGRAM--more recent sociology

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) Robert Merton (Meyer Schkolnick) Pennsylvania 1st important sociologist of science Merton frames science in terms of deviance / norms REGULAR PROGRAM

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) Robert Merton DEVIANCE—competition for recognition as pioneer NORMS— 1. community 2. universal truth 3. disinterestedness 4. organized skepticism REGULAR PROGRAM

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) Merton Traditional discussion of social influences on science—Duhem, Popper Bad science shows interference of group filters. Good science transcends group filters or makes use of group adherence to ideal of objectivity in other words, good science allows INDIVIDUAL SCIENTIST to overcome group 'influences' REGULAR PROGRAM

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) Individual’s agenda—Is this Psychology or Sociology? Sociology studies GROUP influences & behavior Psychology studies INDIVIDUAL motivations and behavior REGULAR PROGRAM

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) REGULAR PROGRAM Why include individual researchers’ agendas under Sociology 1.Soc. of science does not emphasize or recognize role of individual 2.Soc. of science asserts individuals’ agendas arise out of group filters or paradigms either this correct, or we must contrast individual agendas to group filters

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) REGULAR PROGRAM Why include individual researchers’ agendas under Sociology 3.Big science—according to Longino & others, science today is mostly large projects w/ large teams of scientists if this is correct individual just means relatively small group. 4.Individual’s agendas are indeed often dictated by social role or social factors 5.Including individual’s non-social agendas w/ social agendas allows for alternative to strong program. Social factors alone need not be driving a scientist

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) FEMINIST SCIENCE 1.Paradigms and social filters often reflect either the interests, standpoint, or politics of group 2.Group that has been driving science for thousands of years are dead white men. STRONG PROGRAM

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) FEMINIST SCIENCE 3. Scientific constructs are often reflections of interests/standpoint of dead white men Examples construct of matter—controllable, lifeless, devoid of value, impenetrable construct of mechanics (Newtonian)— invariant, inviolable cell biology (CR) sperm as victor, active, hero, victim of vagina vagina as passive, treacherous, capricious STRONG PROGRAM

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) STRONG PROGRAM POSTMODERNISM Reconstruct or deconstruct our histories to show power games and new investiture (rewriting history to "uplift" marginalized groups) Michel Foucault—Science as controlling mechanism for ruling groups—hospitals originated as place to incarcerate society’s rejects

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) CRITIQUE OF STRONG PROGRAM Sokal hoax— MOSTLY a critique of Postmodernism. Alan Sokal--physicist who wrote and then published non-sense to show silliness of strong program Article he got published: `Transgressing the Boundaries: Toward a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity,' ' in Spring/Summer 1996 issue of Social Text, a post- modern journal.

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) WORK OF SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE—not what we find in our readings In the slides that follow I outline a USEFUL Sociology of Science, one which is in line more with the NORMAL PROGRAM a way to check for influences and filters that undermine the NORMAL goal of objectivity

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) WORK OF SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE What is the researcher’s agenda? Career investment?—how much time has the researcher spent on this research topic? examples— 1.Einstein had no career investment—he worked as clerk in patent office 2.Researcher who spent 20 years trying to show correlation between poor areas & Superfund sites Mere publication? How useful does busy-work seem—no=brainer, then why do it?

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) WORK OF SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE What is the researcher’s agenda? Response to mentors—negative or positive?—needs some historical background Example philosopher writing today claiming there is no way to do consciousness/Esp research—Why this no brainer?—his 1st Dept. chair was into life-after-death research

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) WORK OF SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE What is the researcher’s agenda? Discovery of a Puzzle?—how big or important is the puzzle? Special insight --Creativity, shift in thinking examples— Einstein Complexity theory

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) WORK OF SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE What is the researcher’s agenda? Relevant different or unusual experience— giving new approach? examples— 1. lifelong criminal insight into criminal psychology 2.women biologists

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) WORK OF SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE—not what we find in our readings What is the researcher’s agenda? Moral agenda?—religious agenda, some other crusade/affiliation relevant to research? Political agenda?—similar to moral agenda, but govt./ pol. party is driving research Financial agenda? Is funding source relevant to his/her goal of research?

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) WORK OF SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENCE—not what we find in our readings Interaction of Community of Scientists Funding of field currency in larger sci. community debate/acceptance of particular research w/in field debate/acceptance of particular research w/in larger sci. community organizations/publications/conferences/university affilliations

Sociology of Science (PGS Chap. 8) Problem of sociology—cultural relativism --truth is defined by your culture—there is no absolute truth. If truth is not sacrosanct, then what is sociologist up to? He can only study or evaluate w/in his own cultural viewpoint?— Why should his work count?