ABSTRACT

Social studies of knowledge have contributed many insights into the making and the character of scientific and technological knowledge. However, studies of knowledge use are scarce. This article engages with under-examined topics concerning epistemic utility. I posit and demonstrate that scientific and technological knowledge claims are functional. I argue that knowledge and its functions are mutually-enabling and mutually-sustaining constructs. To substantiate my claims, I present useful conceptualisations of ‘function’ and ‘functionality’ and employ them in an empirical case study. I examine knowledge use in synthetic biology, a young form of biological engineering. I demonstrate that knowledge in the field is brought into existence with function in mind, kept in existence through functional use, qualified and situated by its functionality and evaluated by its functional operation. The case study reveals the effectiveness of my conceptualisations and offers lessons about knowledge as both an end-result of epistemic work and a mechanism for practice. My theoretical and empirical contributions expand understanding of scientific and technological knowledge and shed light on an area of study awaiting investigation. I conclude with open-ended reflections on work yet to be done.

摘要

知识的社会研究为科学技术知识的形成和特征提供了许多见解。然而，知识使用研究稀缺。本文涉及有关认知效用的未充分研究的主题。我假设并证明科学和技术知识声明是功能性的。我认为知识及其功能是相互促进和相互维持的结构。为了证实我的主张，我提出了“功能”和“功能性”的有用概念，并将它们用于实证案例研究。我研究合成生物学中的知识使用，这是一种年轻的生物工程形式。我证明该领域的知识是在考虑功能的情况下产生的，通过功能使用保持存在，通过其功能限定和定位，并通过其功能操作进行评估。案例研究揭示了我的概念化的有效性，并提供了关于知识作为认知工作的最终结果和实践机制的经验教训。我的理论和经验贡献扩大了对科技知识的理解，并阐明了一个有待调查的研究领域。最后，我对尚未完成的工作进行了开放式思考。