Posts com a Tag ‘LANG Sandra (Org d)’

Introduction1

Paweł Jarnicki2 Sandra Lang3 Ludwik Fleck (1896–1961) developed his theory of thought styles and thought collectives4 eighty years ago. It describes the origins and condensation of knowledge (including scientific knowledge) in a framework of thought collectives and the “circulation of thoughts” [Denkverkehr/krążenie myśli] within and among them. The combination of sociological, historical and psychological approaches to (scientific) knowledge was groundbreaking in those times and Fleck is often considered to be one of the first proto-constructivist thinkers.

By reconstructing the origins of a microbiological fact (the first reliable testing method for syphilis following the Wassermann reaction) at the beginning of the 20th century, Fleck showed that scientific knowledge does not simply derive from spontaneous discoveries or a single pure genius mind. According to Fleck, scientific facts emerge in a constant process of circulating and interchanging thoughts between various collectives. Collectives are carriers of thought styles, and one individual is always a member of several collectives; this makes the circulation of thoughts (i.e. a mutual interaction of different styles) possible even within one individual. Fleck’s sociological and historical perspective is closely linked to his experiences, practices and socialization as microbiologist (Sady, 2012). Leia Mais