Science in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers in Society

Author: Bruno Latour (France)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: The author, Bruno Latour, is one of the leading figures in the sociology of scientific knowledge and a representative of the Paris School. In this work, Latour attempts to discover how science actually "works." With the aim of reinterpreting scientific practice and its relationship with society, the book provides detailed descriptions of the methods and rules used by scientists, drawing on anecdotes, case studies, and practical examples from different stages and disciplines of scientific development. To bridge the division previously created between the natural and the social, and to foster a new unity, the book gives a crucial role to non-human factors. The book can be read as both a general introductory text on the socio-cultural study of science and a typical example of research practice.