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Experiments on Socio-Technical Systems: The Problem of Control.

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Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Science
  • Sociology of Technology

Background:

  • The concept of 'experiment' is central to scientific inquiry in both natural and social sciences.
  • Technological advancements often involve societal integration, raising questions about their experimental nature.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically examine whether the introduction of new technologies into society constitutes a genuine scientific experiment.
  • To differentiate the societal introduction of technologies from traditional scientific experimentation.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of the term 'experiment' in scientific contexts.
  • Comparative analysis of traditional scientific experiments versus the societal implementation of new technologies.

Main Results:

  • The introduction of new technologies, especially socio-technical systems, deviates significantly from the traditional experimental model.
  • Unlike controlled scientific experiments, socio-technical systems involve complex interactions between technology and social factors (laws, human behavior).
  • The experimenter's role shifts from an external controller to an integrated participant within the socio-technical system.

Conclusions:

  • Societal technology implementation is not a direct analogue to natural or social science experiments.
  • The inherent entanglement of social and technical elements in new systems fundamentally alters the experimental paradigm.
  • A distinct framework is needed to understand the unique characteristics of experimenting with socio-technical systems.