Scientific Practice in the Contexts of Peripheral Science: C. V. Raman and His Construction of a Mechanical Violin-Player

Abstract

Peripheral science, i.e., scientific activity outside the standard Western contexts, is often viewed as not a very interesting topic in the philosophy of science. In this article, I seek to propose a framework for thinking about such scientific practices with the help of a case study. I argue that the peripheral scientific practices offer us a new window for understanding how contributory expertise in science can be born amidst difficult circumstances, and how, in seeking to found such new practices, peripheral scientists often build (emerging) trading zones. I finally argue that in the transnational scientific practices of the twenty-first century, understanding such zones might be essential for understanding the nature of scientific enterprise as well as for formulating a (future) science policy.

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