Scientific phenomenology and science studies: Gaston Bachelard and the concept of phenomenotechnique

The epistemological works of Gaston Bachelard (1884- 1962), written and published between 1928 and 1953 try to make traditional philosophers of science aware of the discontinuous structure of scientific change and the dynamics of the scientific mind. Bachelard often argued that the historical and technical progress of the sciences show that the purely descriptive and classificatory features of past science are sooner or later substituted for epistemic models which rely mainly upon the scientist’s power to technically construct the objects of scientific inquiry. The relationships that Bachelard saw between scientists, theories, experimentation, and scientific technology in science led him to coin the philosophical concept of ‘'phenomenotechnique.' This concept reflects the historically contingent, artificial, constructed, social character of both scientific knowledge and scientific entities. Bachelard claimed the instruments are materialized theories. Just like mathematics, they are products of technique. Technique, on the other hand, is the rational expression of the scientist’s world view. Scientific knowledge is what ends up being technically objectified in scientific instrumentation. Groups such as the social constructivists argue that ‘phenomenotechnique’ expresses their own claims regarding the strictly rhetorical nature of science. However, to Bachelard, the presuppositions behind the concept preserve the rational essence of scientific thought. ‘Phenomenotechnique’ is one of the most potentially rich concepts that Bachelard has to offer to contemporary science studies. The purpose of this dissertation is to offer a full account of the history and implications of ‘phenomenotechnique.’ Part I is an explanatory analysis of the concept as it appears in all the epistemological works of Gaston Bachelard. It also shows how ‘phenomenotechnique’ relates with other Bachelardian concepts such as ‘technical materialism,’ ‘epistemological rupture,’ ‘psychoanalysis of scientific thought,’ ’applied materialism,’ and ‘social consensus.’ Part II deals with the intellectual and scientific context of France in the first half of the twentieth century which led Bachelard to coin the term. Finally, Part III will attempt to incorporate ’phenomenotechnique’ into today’s science studies.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Science and Technology Studies

Department dc:contributor.department

Science and Technology Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1993

Author dc:creator

• Pereira, Maria Teresa Castelao

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Pitt, Joseph C.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Gayon, Jean
• Burian, Richard M.
• Feingold, Mordechai
• LaBerge, Ann G.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-07102007-142519

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/38750