David Bloor (born 1942)

Birth

Jun 28, 1942

Born in 1942 in Derby, United Kingdom

The Strong Programme

1974

In the late 1970s early 1980s, David Bloor and colleague Barry Barnes formed the Strong Programme as a way to eliminate the belief that the scientist is a detached observer. This program was guided by four components:
1. Casualty - examines the conditions that bring about claims
2. Impartiality - examines the knowledge of the claims
3. Symmetry - types of explanations
4. Reflexivity - must be applicable to sociology

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0039368105000804.

Wittgenstein: A Social Theory of Knowledge

Jan 1, 1983

In 1983, "Wittgenstein: A Social Theory of Knowledge" is published. Bloor explains Wittgenstein's ideas on society and the individual - his work leans on the notion that humans are highly social creatures and society should take precedence over the individual, noting individuality is a natural phenomenon Reference Bloor, D. (1983). Wittgenstein: A Social Theory of Knowledge. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-17273-3

Anti-Latour

1999

French Scholar, Bruno Latour developed the actor-network theory partially based on Bloor's Strong Programme. Bloor, however, disagreed when Latour argued that relationships between humans and non-humans are equivalent. Bloor wrote his article "Anti-Latour" to defend the approach of the sociology of knowledge. Reference Bloor, D. “Anti-Latour”. Science Direct, Mar. 1999, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0039368198000387.

Science Studies Unit 50th Year Anniversary Celebration

Jun 15, 2016

David Bloor and Barry Barnes commemorate 50 years of the Science Studies Unit at the University of Edinburgh. https://youtu.be/wP7w7Un4zaE