actor-network theory

is a problematic theory which is a step backwards towards positivist positions.

In an article in Science as Practice and Culture, Collins and his co-writer Steven Yearly argue that the Actor-network theory (ANT) approach is a step backwards towards the positivist and real ist positions held by early theory of science.[5]' (wiki)

is a study of how a lot of hard work in which heterogeneous bits and pieces -test tubes, reagents, organisms, skilled hands, scanning electron microscopes, radiation monitors, other scientist, articles, computer terminals, and all the rest -that would like to make off on their own are juxtaposed into a patterned network which overcomes their resistance.

The actor-network answer is that it is the end product of a lot of hard work in which heterogeneous bits and pieces -test tubes, reagents, organisms, skilled hands, scanning electron microscopes, radiation monitors, other scientist, articles, computer terminals, and all the rest -that would like to make off on their own are juxtaposed into a patterned network which overcomes their resistance. (law 1992: pdf) . .

is a theory that social order is not brought about or caused, but rather is an effect, an effect generated not just by people with intentions, but by machines, architectures, clothes, and texts as well, which all contribute to the patterning of the social such that if they up and disappeared, so too would order.

And, just as human beings have their preferences -they prefer to interact in certain ways rather than in others -so too do the other materials that make up the heterogeneous networks of the social. Machines, architectures, clothes, texts -all contribute to the patterning of the social. And -this is my point -if these materials were to disappear then so too would what we sometimes call the social order. Actor-network theory says, then, that order is an effect generated by heterogeneous means. (Law 1992 : 3)

is a theory which explores and describes local processes of patterning, social orchestration, ordering and resistance.

The object is to explore and describe local processes of patterning, social orchestration, ordering and resistance. (law 1992 : 5)

is a theory which gives equal importance to the material world as the human world such that pasteur's discovery of lactic acid is a great event not only in his life, but in the life of the yeast.

Pasteur's discovery of lactic acid yeast is a great event not only in Pasteur's life, but also in the life of the yeast. Latour refers to Whitehead's process philosophy for a metaphysical sanction for the effacement of the difference between nature and society to make room for a third term out of which both emerge (Latour, 1994: 212). (Feenberg 2003 : html)

is a theory which sees the actor and the network not as two interacting entities, but as two faces of the same phenomena of the social, much like waves and particles.

`Actor' is not here to play the role of agency and `network' to play the role of society. Actor and network -if we want to still use the terms designates two faces of the same phenomenon, like wave and particles, the slow realisation that the social is a certain type of circulation that can travel endlessly without ever encountering the micro-level -there is never an interaction that is not framednor the macrolevel -there are only local summing up. (Latour 1998: on recalling : 3)

is an analytic stance rather than an ethical stance when it says that there is no difference between people and objects. Indeed, we use the analytic stance to sharpen ethical questions about the special character of the human effect.

The clarificatory point is this. We need, I think, to distinguish between ethics and sociology. The one may -indeed should -inform the other, but they are not identical. To say that there is no fundamental difference between people and objects is an analytical stance, not an ethical position. And to say this does not mean that we have to treat the people in our lives as machines. We don't have to deny them the rights, duties, or responsibilities that we usually accord to people. Indeed, we might use it to sharpen ethical questions about the special character of the human effect -as, for instance, in difficult cases such as life maintained by virtue of the technologies of intensive care. (Law: 1992: 3 .pdf)

is an exploration of 'the capacity of nonhumans to act or participate in systems or networks' systems or networks'.

Explores 'the capacity of nonhumans to act or participate in explores 'the capacity of nonhumans to act or participate in systems or networks' systems or networks'

actor network theory, n.Definitions

actor network theory