David Bloor (Born in 1942- Present)

By MizukiNelson

  • David Bloor's Biography

    David Bloor, born in 1942 in Derby, U.K, is a British philosopher of science who is best known for his contributions to the field of sociology of scientific knowledge (SSK). He is one of the founders of the Edinburgh School of SSK, which challenges traditional views of scientific knowledge as objective, universal, and timeless.

  • Most Significant Contribution: The Strong Programme, a Project Within Sociology of Science, Proposed by David Bloor

    The Strong Programme is a relativist and constructivist view of scientific knowledge. This work is built off of controversial philosophical foundations, which gained a lot of attention from philosophers. Bloor's goal is to collect as many scientific explanations of the development of science itself. Sociologists of science who support the Strong Programme's stance are interested in how the science is influenced by the social process--(Tarihi, 2017)

  • Key Event: Publication of "Knowledge and Social Imagery"

    One of the key moments in Bloor's work was the publication of his book "Knowledge and Social Imagery. In this book, Bloor argues that scientific knowledge is not a product of objective investigation in a pre-given natural world, but is rather shaped by social factors such as the interests and beliefs by scientists, the cultural and historical context in which they work, and the networks of power and influence that surround them (Bloor, 1976).

  • Exploring Implications of a Postmodern Epistemology

    David Bloor is also well-known for exploring implications of a postmodern epistemology for scientific practice. He argued that scientific theories should not be judged simply on their rational merits, but rather on the social, political, and cultural context in which they were developed.

  • Critiquing Fundamentalism and Scientism

    David Bloor was also critical of religious fundamentalism and scientism, arguing that both risk stifling scientific progress. He critiqued the tendency of both to place too much emphasis on the authority of certain beliefs over experimentation and empirical evidence

  • Video: The Sociology of Science

    This video talks about interesting principles such as the Symmetry Principle. It also talks about the "Strong Program" more in-depth.
    https://youtu.be/C10Q0mEbhUI