The Reflexive Thesis: Wrighting Sociology of Scientific KnowledgeThis unusually innovative book treats reflexivity, not as a philosophical conundrum, but as a practical issue that arises in the course of scholarly research and argument. In order to demonstrate the concrete and consequential nature of reflexivity, Malcolm Ashmore concentrates on an area in which reflexive "problems" are acute: the sociology of scientific knowledge. At the forefront of recent radical changes in our understanding of science, this increasingly influential mode of analysis specializes in rigorous deconstructions of the research practices and textual products of the scientific enterprise. Through a series of detailed examinations of the practices and products of the sociology of scientific knowledge, Ashmore turns its own claims and findings back onto itself and opens up a whole new era of exploration beyond the common fear of reflexive self-destruction. |
Contents
CHAPTER | 1 |
CHAPTER | 26 |
ATTENDING TO TERMINOLOGY | 30 |
BARTHES | 36 |
DISCOURSE ANALYSIS | 46 |
GOULDNER | 52 |
LAUDAN | 61 |
REFLEXIVE MOMENTS AND MENTIONS | 74 |
CHAPTER FIVE | 139 |
CHAPTER | 169 |
FIRST TEXT | 175 |
CHAPTER SEVEN | 194 |
APPENDIX | 221 |
Notes | 227 |
251 | |
277 | |
Common terms and phrases
argue Ashmore Ashmore's attempt Author Barnes beliefs Bloor Candidate Chapter Collins's concerned conclusion context course critical critique deconstruction discourse analysis discussion empirical encyclopedia epistemological ethnomethodology example External extracts fiction findings Gilbert and Mulkay Gouldner Gruenberg Harry Collins high variability interesting interpretative interview kind Knorr-Cetina Kuhn Kuhnian Latour Lecturer literary forms Lynch M. C. Escher McHoul Mertonian metascience methodological Mulkay and Gilbert Mulkay's Naess paper paradox participants perhaps Phil philosophy Pickering Potter problem of reflexivity produced question QUOQUE ARGUMENTS reading reflexive sociology reflexivity of reflexivity relativist replication claim Sandywell scientific knowledge scientists self-exemplifying self-reference self-referential Shapin social construct social science Social Studies sociologists sociology of knowledge sociology of science sociology of scientific special relativism Steve Woolgar strategy strong programme Studies of Science talk textual theory thesis things tion topic Trevor Pinch tu quoque University of York writing Yearley