Lab Life -- The Construction Process of Scientific Facts

Author: Bruno Latour
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-12-01
Features: How do scientists work? How do they "discover" scientific facts? To answer these questions, the renowned French sociologist of science Bruno Latour and the British sociologist Steve Woolgar immersed themselves in a neuroendocrinology laboratory in the United States and spent two years living with the professors there, observing scientists to see how they choose research topics and apply for funding, how they conduct research and publish papers, how they are rated and awarded, and so on. The authors study science in a naturalistic way, particularly exploring the social constraints on science, touching on larger issues such as human nature, society, reason, and knowledge, and offering a unique and insightful interpretation of the construction of scientific facts. This book is a classic work in the forefront field of science sociology and the study of social sciences abroad, SSK.