Science as system vs. science as practice: Luhmann's sociology of science and recent approaches in science and technology studies (STS)--a fragmentary confrontation

@article{citeulike:2959638, abstract = {The last twenty years not only saw the development of a distinctive systems theory by Niklas Luhmann, but also the emergence of a transdisciplinary field called science and technology studies (STS), which emanated from the older sociology of science. This contribution is dedicated to a basic confrontation of theoretical approaches in "new" STS with Luhmann's sociology of science as a part of his theory of society. On the one hand, I want to depict some similarities between both approaches, i.e. the linguistic/semiotic turn, relativism and reflexivism. On the other hand, in the second section, I try to show some of the major differences between recent STS theories and Luhmann's autopoietic systems theory. Basic distinctions are identified with regard to the perception of science (closed system vs. "seamless web") and the different scope of the theories. This finally leads to the modest conclusion that these conceptualizations can hardly be integrated and thus reflect the complexity of contemporary science - both as "subject" and "object". 10.1177/053901896035002003}, author = {Taschwer, Klaus }, citeulike-article-id = {2959638}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/053901896035002003}, journal = {Social Science Information}, keywords = {actor-network-theory, systems-theory}, month = {June}, number = {2}, pages = {215--232}, posted-at = {2008-07-03 16:01:40}, priority = {2}, title = {Science as system vs. science as practice: Luhmann's sociology of science and recent approaches in science and technology studies (STS)--a fragmentary confrontation}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/053901896035002003}, volume = {35}, year = {1996} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2959638 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2959638 TI - Science as system vs. science as practice: Luhmann's sociology of science and recent approaches in science and technology studies (STS)--a fragmentary confrontation JF - Social Science Information VL - 35 IS - 2 SP - 215 EP - 232 N2 - The last twenty years not only saw the development of a distinctive systems theory by Niklas Luhmann, but also the emergence of a transdisciplinary field called science and technology studies (STS), which emanated from the older sociology of science. This contribution is dedicated to a basic confrontation of theoretical approaches in "new" STS with Luhmann's sociology of science as a part of his theory of society. On the one hand, I want to depict some similarities between both approaches, i.e. the linguistic/semiotic turn, relativism and reflexivism. On the other hand, in the second section, I try to show some of the major differences between recent STS theories and Luhmann's autopoietic systems theory. Basic distinctions are identified with regard to the perception of science (closed system vs. "seamless web") and the different scope of the theories. This finally leads to the modest conclusion that these conceptualizations can hardly be integrated and thus reflect the complexity of contemporary science - both as "subject" and "object". 10.1177/053901896035002003 KW - actor-network-theory KW - systems-theory AU - Taschwer, Klaus PY - 1996/06/01/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/053901896035002003 ER -