On the Partial Existence of Existing and Non-existing Objects

(65)
On the Partial Existence of Existing and Non-existing Objects application/pdf icon
1996

In Biographies of Scientific Objects, Lorraine Daston (editor), Chicago University Press, pp. 247-269, 2000

Abstract

The paper tries to find an intermdiary zone between metaphysics -especially that of Whitehead- and sociology or social history of science. It offers a sketchy but robust vocabulary to define the spatio-temporal envelop of phenomena, without having to take decisions on their existence or non-existence. The notion of network is then given a more precise metaphysics by pursuing how a phenomenon is then extended, through standardization and reformatting, into the classical status of existing or non-existing objetcs.

Translations

Repris très transformé en livre / Heavily reedited in book form
in (VII). See « Books » for translations