Don't throw the baby out with the bath school! A reply to Collins and Yearley

Abstract

Harry Collins and Steve Yearley {from now on C&Y) âre sâtisfied with the state of social studies of science. Most o{ the problems have been solved, important discoveries have been made, sociology is firm enough on its feet to study the natural sciences. Thus, according to them, there is no fundamental reason to switch to other frames of reference-and there is stil l less reâson to let bloody foreigners dabble in a field where the British have been firmly in command for so mâny yeârs. Wherever we go, C&Y have already been there, have given satisfactory explanations, have developed an adequate methodology, and have solved the empirical problems. Even if they recognize that there might be some residual difficulties-the problems of reflexivity, thât of symmetry the potential conflict between relativism and social realism-their solution is to shun these intellectual traps by a process of alternation, another name for blithe ignorance, and an appeal to common sense and professional

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