Antropologia nauki kak issledovat'elskaa perspekitva

Abstract

The author presents anthropology of science as a certain scientific approach, which does not so much focus on a certain type of knowledge (scientific knowledge), but on the form of collective activities of people who perform scientific studies. Those people, or in other words – scientists, produce knowledge according to ideal of science of their days. Modern European science created a corporate, intra-group procedure of evaluating researchers’ works, and guaranteed itself an autonomy in regard to deciding what can, and what cannot be proclaimed ‘scientific’. It happened i.a. because of scientists who created an international network called ‘republic of scientists’, based mainly on contacts through correspondence. The imperative here lay in strive for knowledge, and not formal confirmations of gaining certain competences. Science, as a form of activity, began to undergo a professionalisation at the end of 18th and beginning of the 19th century, but until the end of the 19th century participation in the scientific circuit (publications in specialist journals, work in scientific societies, and taking part in congresses) were still possible even for self-taught scientists, who did not posses a diploma of graduation form university, but were well respected by other scientists. Currently this evaluation becomes increasingly formalised and subordinated to units outside of the academia. Author connects anthropology of science, as a perspective that includes the educational background, a life path, and the moment of deciding on the occupation, with a return to taking interest in European scientist as an entity with certain possibilities, working within a cultural system, challenged by concrete difficulties and limitations. Starting from the example of life of Jan Witort (1853–1903), who conducted studies outside of academic structures, the author asks questions regarding ethos and scale of possibility of autonomous activity of a contemporary researcher.