For centuries, the dispute over time has concerned mainly its objective and relative character. For the author, besides philosophy and science, the principal point of reference is man, the way he exists in time and space, and the way he observes, senses and organises those domains, as documented in the products of musical activity.

The sociological dimension of science is studied using the discovery of the Wasserman reaction and its accidental application as a test for syphilis as a basis, ...

Dans cet article écrit dès son retour de déportation le grand philosophe et historien de la médecine polonais d’origine juive Ludwik Fleck se sert de la « rare opportunité » que lui a offerte l’observation de travaux sur le typhus menés à Buchenwald pour tirer des conclusions épistémologiques. Il le fait à travers un dialogue entre Simplicius, qui défend une vision de la science proche de celles du cercle de Vienne, et Sympathius, son propre représentant, qui souligne la dimension (...) sociale de l’activité scientifique, en des termes qui annoncent à bien des égards ceux de Thomas Kuhn.In this paper written just after he came back from deportation, Ludwik Fleck , the great polish philosopher and historian of medicine of Jewish descent, takes advantage of the « rare opportunity » he had of observing the research on typhus undertaken in Buchenwald to draw some epistemological conclusions. He does so through a dialogue between Simplicius, who defends a conception of science close to that of the Vienna circle, and Sympathius, his spokesperson, who underlines the social dimension of scientific activity in terms which in many respects herald those of Thomas Kuhn. (shrink)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be (...) preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)

Those who criticize the theory of thought-styles do admit their existence, but would rather see them as an obstacle to an “objective” perception, a kind of malum necessarium to be eliminated. Through an analysis of the example of serology it is, however, possible to demonstrate that the specific sociological structure of the community of serologists and the history of this discipline are intrinsically connected with a particular serological thought-style, and that the very content of scientific knowledge in this discipline stems (...) from its thought-style. It is impossible even to imagine a styleless scientific knowledge. (shrink)