Reflections on Peter Slezak and the ’Sociology of Scientific Knowledge‘

Abstract

The paper examines central parts of the first of two papers in this journal by Peter Slezak criticising ‘sociology of scientific knowledge’ and also considers, independently, some of the main philosophical issues raised by the sociologists of science, in particular David Bloor. The general conclusion is that each account alludes to different and crucial aspects of the nature of knowledge without. severally or jointly, being able to theorise them adequately. The appendix contains epistemological theses central to a more adequate theory of scientific knowledge.