What Is the Sociology of Science?

The sociology of science refers to the sociological study of the phenomenon of science.

Sociology of Science

Right!

The sociology of science refers to the sociological study of the phenomenon of science.

Chinese name

Sociology of Science

Foreign name

the sociology of science

Belongs to

Sociological study of the phenomenon of science

Field

social science

The sociology of science

Sociology of science is a sociological study of the phenomenon of science. Is a young branch of sociology. Sociology of science is the sociology of science in English, not the scientific sociology. That is to say, when we talk about sociology of science, we are not referring to a state and level of sociology development. We are not emphasizing the distinction between sociology and non-scientific science. There is such a special department and field that studies science.

Sociology of Science Broad and narrow sociology of science.

In a general sense, the sociology of science discusses the relationship between science and society in a general sense. This can include the role of science and politics, economics, education, religion, literature and art, and other social factors. In Western society, especially English-speaking countries, there is a collective term for "social research on science". There are also many scientists conducting scientific research on the front lines. In Britain, this tradition is obvious. Beginning in the 1930s, a group of scientists represented by Bernard and Polanyi who have made outstanding contributions to science has written many valuable scientific and sociological works and scientific philosophy works. Berner's "Social Functions of Science" (1952) has greatly promoted the rise of research science.

The sociology of science in the narrow sense, or scientific sociology in the strict sense, is the result of scientific research conducted by professional sociologists using sociological concepts and methods. In this respect, Merton and his school are the representatives, forming the American tradition of sociology of science. Merton and his school mainly looked at science as a social system, mainly studying issues such as the social relationship and structure within the scientist community, the behavioral norms of scientists, and the scientific reward system. In addition, Ben Davy's historical analysis method and Price's quantitative analysis method have made the sociology of science form its own conceptual category and its methods.

In the 1930s, Merton began to study the relationship between science, technology and society from the perspective of sociology and the history of science. In 1938, Merton published his doctoral dissertation "Science, Technology, and Society in England in the Seventeenth Century". He first proposed the concepts of science, technology, and society. From the perspective of modern society, the social and cultural background of modern science first institutionalized in England was explored. This later paper, published in Osir is, was regarded as the foundation of the sociology of science, and Merton's On Science and Democracy (later named Scientific Normative Structure of Science and 1957) published in 1942 The Priority of Scientific Discovery, published in 1949, is considered to establish the basic issues and framework of the sociology of science.

Based on this, the research system of Merton's scientific sociology can be divided into two parts: the standardized structure of the scientific system and the operation of the scientific system. Merton's "On Science and Democracy" is of groundbreaking significance to the study of scientific normative structure. He believes that the institutional goal of science is to expand proven knowledge, and the guarantee to achieve this goal includes both technical specifications and behavioral norms, which are the guarantee of the truthfulness of scientific knowledge. Technical norms are methodologies, while behavioral norms are norms that constrain and coordinate scientific behavior. Merton pointed out that the code of conduct is compulsory and necessary on the basis of scientific institutions, and is an essential factor to achieve the goals of scientific institutions. He summarized it into four institutionally necessary norms: universalism, communism, disinterestedness, and organized anxious skepticism.

If the normative system of the scientific community is the logical premise of Merton theory, then the reward system that reflects the operating characteristics of the scientific system is the core content of Merton theory. The elaboration of this part first appeared in Merton's Priority of Scientific Discovery. He believes that the goal of scientific establishment is to increase knowledge. The task of scientists is to contribute original knowledge. The four norms of scientific establishment require scientists to disclose their discoveries in order to promote universal knowledge, and accept the systematic doubts of members of the scientific community rather than themselves. Possess. Therefore, the only scientific property that a scientist owns is to be recognized by his peers, that is, to be recognized for the performance of the scientist's role. Obviously, this is the guarantee that the scientist can continue to assume the role of the scientist, and it is also the energy of the social organization of science. He pointed out that understanding the dispute over the priorities of scientists based on this premise cannot be regarded as originating from the desire for fame or the nature of competition, but from the inherent requirements of scientific norms.

At this point, Merton has not only completed a dynamic description of how science as a social institution works, but also has convincingly interpreted phenomena such as scientists' scramble for priorities that seem to conflict with Merton's norms as the inherent requirements of scientific norms. . This shows the academic appeal of Merton's norms, shows that the sociological science has the first explanatory paradigm, and marks the emergence of the sociology of science as a discipline.

Merton's research has attracted widespread attention from sociologists, and has begun to attract a large number of young scholars into the field of scientific sociology. Merton's original research thoughts were gradually elaborated, modified and re-explained by Barber, Hagerstron, Stoller, and Merton himself, and gradually developed into mature sociology research ideas, thus forming functionalist Sociological research tradition. This research approach regards science as an independent social system or system, juxtaposed with economic systems, political systems, military systems, etc., are all important parts of society as a whole. The sociology of science aims to study science (institutions) Social and cultural structure and organization, and their internal and external interactions. In the 1960s, a large number of results centered on or under the influence of Merton, centered on Columbia University, emerged one after another. Sociology of science, as an independent branch discipline, was first established in the United States, and developed rapidly as an important constituent discipline of STS research.

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