William T Lynch
Biographic Data
| ID | 210324 |
|---|---|
| NAME | William T Lynch |
| GIVEN NAMES | William T |
| FAMILY NAME | Lynch |
| SIGNATURE | LYNCH W T |
| AFFILIATIONS | Wayne State University |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 23 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 14 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1991 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2022 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Does Post-truth Expand or Restrict Political Choice? Politics, Planning, and Expertise in a Post-truth Environment
Steve Fuller has replied to my critique of his endorsement of a post-truth epistemology. I trace the divergence in our approach to social epistemology by examining our distinct responses to the principle of symmetry in the sociology of scientific knowledge. Fuller has extended the concept of symmetry and challenged the field to embrace a post-truth condition that flattens the difference between experts and the public. By contrast, I have criticiz…
Dissent and Diversity in Science and Technology Studies
Behind the Screens
The alleged emergence of a ‘post-truth’ regime links the rise of new forms of social media and the reemergence of political populism. Post-truth has theoretical roots in the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), with sociologists of science arguing that both true and false claims should be explained by the same kinds of social causes. Most STS theorists have sought to deflect blame for post-truth, while at the same time…
After the Gold Rush
Remedios and Dusek have provided a useful contextualization of Steve Fuller’s recent work in social epistemology. While they have provided some good criticisms of some of Fuller’s new ideas, they fail to provide a systematic critique of Fuller’s retreat from a naturalistic and materialist social epistemology for one embracing transhumanism, intelligent design, and the proactionary imperative. An alternative approach is developed, drawing on Fulle…
Social Epistemology Transformed
The Ghost of Wittgenstein
In developing an “internal” sociology of science, the sociology of scientific knowledge drew on Wittgenstein’s later philosophy to reinterpret traditional epistemological topics in sociological terms. By construing scientific reasoning as rule following within a collective, sociologists David Bloor and Harry Collins effectively blocked outside criticism of a scientific field, whether scientific, philosophical, or political. Ethnomethodologist Mic…
Barbara J. Shapiro, A Culture of Fact
Beyond Cold War Paradigms for Science and Democracy
Engineering Practice and Engineering Ethics
Diane Vaughan's analysis of the causes of the Challenger accident suggests ways to apply science and technology studies to the teaching of engineering ethics. By sensitizing future engineers to the ongoing construction of risk during mundane engineering practice, we can better prepare them to address issues of public health, safety, and welfare before they require heroic intervention. Understanding the importance of precedents, incremental change…
Galileo on the World Systems
Cavendish. Christa Jungnickel , Russell McCormmach
Ideology and the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge
Ideology critique has traditionally proceeded either by contrasting science and ideology or by distinguishing genuine interests from the distortions of false consciousness. At the same time that the sociology of scientific knowledge has opened up the content of science to social analysis, it has undermined the bases for such ideology critique. Barnes's attempt to rehabilitate a critical conception of ideology fails to provide for robust critique,…
Ethnomethodology as Technocratic Ideology
In a world in which science and technology play an increasingly problematic role, it is curious that Michael Lynch wishes to preserve a distinctively discipline for sociology of scientific knowledge (SSK) analysis, postponing the day of application until the field is good and ready. Like Lynch's colleague Jeff Coulter, a distinctively technical discipline of ethnomethodological work receives special dispensation from the normatively laden aspects…
Recovering and Expanding the Normative
It was customary in traditional approaches to the sociology of knowledge to bracket either questions about the possibility of the social determination of natural scientific ideas or questions about the ability of the sociology of knowledge to evaluate other types of knowledge claims. The current strong program in the sociology of knowledge, a typical representative of the new approach to the sociology of science, wants to study the production of …
Ideology and the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge
Ideology critique has traditionally proceeded either by contrasting science and ideology or by distinguishing genuine interests from the distortions of false consciousness. At the same time that the sociology of scientific knowledge has opened up the content of science to social analysis, it has undermined the bases for such ideology critique. Barnes's attempt to rehabilitate a critical conception of ideology fails to provide for robust critique,…
Engineering Practice and Engineering Ethics
Diane Vaughan's analysis of the causes of the Challenger accident suggests ways to apply science and technology studies to the teaching of engineering ethics. By sensitizing future engineers to the ongoing construction of risk during mundane engineering practice, we can better prepare them to address issues of public health, safety, and welfare before they require heroic intervention. Understanding the importance of precedents, incremental change…
Recovering and Expanding the Normative
It was customary in traditional approaches to the sociology of knowledge to bracket either questions about the possibility of the social determination of natural scientific ideas or questions about the ability of the sociology of knowledge to evaluate other types of knowledge claims. The current strong program in the sociology of knowledge, a typical representative of the new approach to the sociology of science, wants to study the production of …
Beyond Cold War Paradigms for Science and Democracy
Does Post-truth Expand or Restrict Political Choice? Politics, Planning, and Expertise in a Post-truth Environment
Steve Fuller has replied to my critique of his endorsement of a post-truth epistemology. I trace the divergence in our approach to social epistemology by examining our distinct responses to the principle of symmetry in the sociology of scientific knowledge. Fuller has extended the concept of symmetry and challenged the field to embrace a post-truth condition that flattens the difference between experts and the public. By contrast, I have criticiz…
Behind the Screens
The alleged emergence of a ‘post-truth’ regime links the rise of new forms of social media and the reemergence of political populism. Post-truth has theoretical roots in the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), with sociologists of science arguing that both true and false claims should be explained by the same kinds of social causes. Most STS theorists have sought to deflect blame for post-truth, while at the same time…
Recovering and Expanding the Normative
It was customary in traditional approaches to the sociology of knowledge to bracket either questions about the possibility of the social determination of natural scientific ideas or questions about the ability of the sociology of knowledge to evaluate other types of knowledge claims. The current strong program in the sociology of knowledge, a typical representative of the new approach to the sociology of science, wants to study the production of …
Ethnomethodology as Technocratic Ideology
In a world in which science and technology play an increasingly problematic role, it is curious that Michael Lynch wishes to preserve a distinctively discipline for sociology of scientific knowledge (SSK) analysis, postponing the day of application until the field is good and ready. Like Lynch's colleague Jeff Coulter, a distinctively technical discipline of ethnomethodological work receives special dispensation from the normatively laden aspects…
Ideology and the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge
Ideology critique has traditionally proceeded either by contrasting science and ideology or by distinguishing genuine interests from the distortions of false consciousness. At the same time that the sociology of scientific knowledge has opened up the content of science to social analysis, it has undermined the bases for such ideology critique. Barnes's attempt to rehabilitate a critical conception of ideology fails to provide for robust critique,…
Cavendish. Christa Jungnickel , Russell McCormmach
Galileo on the World Systems
Engineering Practice and Engineering Ethics
Diane Vaughan's analysis of the causes of the Challenger accident suggests ways to apply science and technology studies to the teaching of engineering ethics. By sensitizing future engineers to the ongoing construction of risk during mundane engineering practice, we can better prepare them to address issues of public health, safety, and welfare before they require heroic intervention. Understanding the importance of precedents, incremental change…
Barbara J. Shapiro, A Culture of Fact
Beyond Cold War Paradigms for Science and Democracy
The Ghost of Wittgenstein
In developing an “internal” sociology of science, the sociology of scientific knowledge drew on Wittgenstein’s later philosophy to reinterpret traditional epistemological topics in sociological terms. By construing scientific reasoning as rule following within a collective, sociologists David Bloor and Harry Collins effectively blocked outside criticism of a scientific field, whether scientific, philosophical, or political. Ethnomethodologist Mic…
Social Epistemology Transformed
After the Gold Rush
Remedios and Dusek have provided a useful contextualization of Steve Fuller’s recent work in social epistemology. While they have provided some good criticisms of some of Fuller’s new ideas, they fail to provide a systematic critique of Fuller’s retreat from a naturalistic and materialist social epistemology for one embracing transhumanism, intelligent design, and the proactionary imperative. An alternative approach is developed, drawing on Fulle…
Behind the Screens
The alleged emergence of a ‘post-truth’ regime links the rise of new forms of social media and the reemergence of political populism. Post-truth has theoretical roots in the interdisciplinary field of Science and Technology Studies (STS), with sociologists of science arguing that both true and false claims should be explained by the same kinds of social causes. Most STS theorists have sought to deflect blame for post-truth, while at the same time…
Does Post-truth Expand or Restrict Political Choice? Politics, Planning, and Expertise in a Post-truth Environment
Steve Fuller has replied to my critique of his endorsement of a post-truth epistemology. I trace the divergence in our approach to social epistemology by examining our distinct responses to the principle of symmetry in the sociology of scientific knowledge. Fuller has extended the concept of symmetry and challenged the field to embrace a post-truth condition that flattens the difference between experts and the public. By contrast, I have criticiz…
Dissent and Diversity in Science and Technology Studies
Epistemology (12 works) · Philosophy (12 works) · Sociology (10 works) · Law (8 works) · Political science (8 works) · Politics (6 works) · Law (5 works) · Philosophy (5 works) · Philosophy and History of Science (5 works) · Computer Science (4 works)