Coproduction as a normative posture

In course of the development of the STS field (Science and Technology Studies), mainly during the 1980s and 1990s, its proponents have tended to bracket off normative questions. Drawing on Charles Taylor s work, this book explains both why this happened and why an alternative normative posture may be developed within STS. In this analysis, the classical epistemological tradition is seen as having shaped dominating methodological ideals for how to go to work and where to turn one s attention when studying, evaluating and assessing science and technology. Because the STS field evolved by developing novel methodologies, it initially run into normative difficulties but may now present an interesting alternative normative posture under the heading of coproduction. The validity of this claim is demonstrated in an empirical context, based on a study of the emergence of functional genomics in Norway, 1997-2002. The book focuses on the question of normative lessons of STS studies. This topic calls for increased interaction between the camps of philosophy and STS, and this work focus on co-thinking the philosophies of Charles Taylor and Bruno Latour.

Autorentext

Rune Nydal: Studied physics, philosophy and science and technology studies in Norway. Associate professor at the Department of Philosophy, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).