Interests and the Growth of Knowledge

Abstract

In the last chapter we began to fill a gap in our account of the network theory of knowledge. The theory suggests that knowledge is to be seen as a tool or instrument and does not freewheel in the abstract. It is rather constructed for a purpose — it is used to achieve goals. It was in order to specify the nature of the social uses of knowledge that we introduced the notion of interest. Though we deliberately avoided a formal definition of the term, we did, however, hypothesise that all knowledge develops under the auspices of two types of interest: an interest in natural accounting, prediction and control on the one hand and an interest in social control and legitimation on the other. Further, whatever the motives of the individual, all knowledge typically has consequences in both of these dimensions. Knowledge directed primarily by an interest in natural accounting normally has social control implications. Knowledge directed by an interest in social control is typically legitimated with reference to its supposed power of natural accounting.