Sci&Tech History

Construction of knowledge can be explained through ‘cycles of accumulation’ where actors extend their network with collective hybrids. The cycle start with scientist and engineer conduct their research in the laboratory. The scientist and engineer make observation, write some notes on sketchbooks, leave the laboratory, make some calculation and come out with a formula. Next, scientist and engineer diffuse their formula among many of businessmen, policy maker and professional association explained effectiveness and efficiency of their formula. Giving a good performance, the formula is patented and well-adopted. Mass production helps the businessmen to increase their profit, while consumers get beneficiary from the low price. The cycles of accumulation involve scientists, engineers, scientific device, sketchbooks, patent office, formula, businessmen, and consumers. According to Latour (1987), behind all scientific text lie inscriptions, and all inscriptions are produced through instrument.

Cycles of accumulation become unstable when new actor(s) come and put nature into account. The existing cycles turn from closed (countable) to open set (uncountable). UN Secretary-General, the elected US President, environment NGO’s came out as the nature spokesmen urged need of Green New Deal.

As a consequence of an open set, the cycles of accumulation lost it accountability and validity. To be calculated, Callon & Muniesa (2005) formulate three-step process: (1) In order to be calculated, the entities taken into account have to be detached; (2) Once they have been detached, the entities considered are associated with one another and subjected to manipulations and transformations; (3) It is necessary to obtain an accomplished calculation. In other word, the existing regime become unstable when there are an uncounted actors who want to put into account. Returning to the topic of environment problems, a new cycle start from nature spokesmen (often labeled as environmentalist) diffuse their findings on climate change and air pollution to policy maker, businessmen, consumer, etc.

Then, through interaction and negotiation… a new knowledge emerge

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