SOCIOLOGY 711

Sociology of Knowledge

We begin with the "classic" sources in the sociology of knowledge, Marx and Manheim. The "modern" development from Merton is presented and the problematic relationship of epistemology to sociology of knowledge becomes the point of departure for the remainder of the course: Does sociology explain only false or distorted belief, or if there is a sociological explanation for beliefs taken to be true, then what is the status of epistemology, as that as traditionally been conceived.

After examining Berger and Luckman's important treatise, The Social Construction of Reality (1966), we consider the so-called "Strong Programme" (Barry Barnes, David Bloor, and their critics). Two papers by Manicas and Rosenberg, "Naturalism, Epistemological Individualism and 'The Strong Programme' in the Sociology of Knowledge,' and 'The Sociology of Scientific Knowledge" Can We Ever Get it Right?" Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior (1985, 1988) consider arguments from a wide variety of quarters, including the writings of Larry Laudan.

We turn to the so-called "Paris School" (Latour and his critics.) The differences between Latour and Strong Programme writers is considered along with the influences of ethnomethodology.

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