Homer in the Laboratory: A Feyerabendian Experiment in Sociology of Science

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Abstract

For philosopher of science Paul Feyerabend, an outcome of the Plato-led victory of philosophers over poets is the 'conquest of abundance' where abstraction replaces the 'richness of being'. This poignant motif is visible in the project of the social sciences, where theory describes classifcatory schemas that can be imposed upon the social world to categorise and, subsequently, explain it. However, Homer's writings (which pre-date Plato) provide a completely different frame of reference. By reimagining ourselves within this work we may be able to rethink and reconfigure our understanding of science, and perhaps even the practice of science. This paper reports on a Feyerabendian 'experiment' in sociology of science which attempts to write contemporary scientific production from the frame of reference to Homer. This new methodology leads to fragments of epic poetry which act as a provocation to, and a disruption of, sociology of science and STS and their ways of making sense of science in society.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)128-141
JournalSocial Epistemology
Volume32
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Jan 2018

Bibliographical note

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Social Epistemology on 15/01/2018, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/02691728.2017.141865

Keywords

  • Sociology
  • Homer
  • Feyerabend
  • STS

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