Science In Society: An Introduction to Social Studies of Science

by Bucchi; Massimiano

• ISBN13: 9780415321990
• ISBN10: 0415321999
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-03-26
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The world around us has been shaped by science and man's relationship to it, and in recent years sociologists have been increasingly preoccupied with the latter. InScience in Society, Massimiano Bucchi provides a brief and approachable introduction to this sociological issue. Without assuming any scientific background, Bucchi provides clear summaries of all the major theoretical positions within the sociology of science, using many fascinating examples to illustrate them. Theories covered include Thomas Kuhn's theory of scientific change, the sociology of scientific knowledge, actor-network theory, and the social construction of technology. The second half of the book goes on to look at some recent public controversies over the role of science in the modern world including: the Sokal affair, otherwise known as the science wars debates over public understanding of science, such as global warming and genetically modified food the implications of the human genomeproject. This highly readable text will be essential reading for all students studying the sociology of science.

Author Biography

Massimiano Bucchi teaches Sociology of Science i the Faculty of Sociology at the University of Trento, Italy.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(4)
Prologue	5	(2)
The development of modern science and the birth of the sociology of science	7	(18)
Paradigms and styles of thought: a `social window' on science?	25	(16)
Is mathematics socially shaped? The `strong programme'	41	(20)
Inside the laboratory	61	(16)
Tearing bicycles and missiles apart: the sociology of technology	77	(16)
`Science wars'	93	(14)
Communicating science	107	(18)
A new science?	125	(18)
Suggested further reading and interesting websites	143	(4)
References	147	(12)
Index of names	159