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Enactive Phenomenological Approach to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Mixed Methods Point of View

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The sciences of subjectivity.

Steven Shapin¹

¹Department of History of Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. shapin@fas.harvard.edu

Social Studies of Science

|August 2, 2012

Summary

This study reframes subjectivity not as a problem for objectivity, but as a valuable mode of scientific knowledge-making. It explores historical aesthetics and sensory experiences like taste and smell to understand intersubjectivity.

Area of Science:

Science and Technology Studies (STS)
History and Philosophy of Science
Sensory Studies

Background:

Traditional studies of scientific knowledge often focus on objectivity, treating subjectivity as a hindrance.
Existing research overlooks the potential of subjectivity as a constructive element in knowledge production.
Historical and ethnographic approaches have primarily aimed to deconstruct claims of scientific objectivity.

Observation:

Historical and ethnographic studies frequently aim to deconstruct claims of scientific objectivity.
Notions of subjectivity have been employed to "deflate" objectivity, but not explored as a knowledge-creation tool.
There's a gap in understanding how subjective experiences contribute to scientific understanding.

Findings:

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The study identifies specific notions of subjectivity that have been overlooked in science studies.

It proposes connections between contemporary science studies and 18th-century philosophical aesthetics.

It highlights the potential of sensory experiences, specifically taste (gustation) and smell (olfaction), as modes of subjective knowledge.

Implications:

Re-evaluating subjectivity, particularly sensory experiences, can enrich our understanding of scientific knowledge production.
Studying subjective modes like taste and smell offers new avenues for investigating intersubjectivity in science.
This approach can lead to more nuanced and comprehensive accounts of how scientific consensus is achieved.