Opening Pandora's Box: A sociological analysis of scientists' discourse

by Nigel Gilbert and Michael Mulkay

This book proposes a new approach to sociological analyis and, in particular, to the analyiss of scientific culture. It moves away from previous studies which have tended to focus on scientist' actions and belifs, to show that analysis of scientific discourse can be productive and revealing.

The book was orginally published by Cambridge University Press in 1984 (ISBN 0 521 27430 3), but went out of print, with the copyright reverting to the authors, in 2003. It is freely available here for download or viewing, either as HTML web pages, or as PDF.

Opening Pandora's Box English edition cover Opening Pandora's Box Japanese edition cover Opening Pandora's Box Russian edition cover

Click on the link to go to the web version of the chapter, or on the PDF icon PDF version for a PDF version.


Contents


Acknowledgements PDF version

Preface PDF version

1 Scientists' discourse as a topic PDF version

2 A possible history of the field PDF version

3 Contexts of scientific discourse PDF version

4Accounting for error PDF version

5 The truth will out PDF version

6 Constructing and deconstructing consensus PDF version

7Working conceptual hallucinations PDF version

8Joking apart PDF version

9Pandora's bequest PDF version

Notes PDF version

Index PDF version

Nigel Gilbert may be contacted at

Department of Sociology
University of Surrey
Guildford
Surrey GU2 7XH
United Kingdom

Email: n.gilbert@surrey.ac.uk