Beyond intersubjectivity in olfactory psychophysics I: Troubles with the Subject

Area of Science:

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

Background:

• Traditional sensory studies often rely on intersubjectivity, maintaining a subject/object opposition.
• Western languages possess limited specialized vocabulary for describing olfactory qualities, leading to the assumption of olfactory ineffability.
• The concept of intersubjectivity may be too narrow to fully capture human immersion in the world.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an experience-oriented relational account of human-world interactions.
• To challenge the notion of human control over the environment by examining the sense of smell.
• To explore how the sense of smell can reframe our understanding of our relationship with the world.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of language and practices within an olfactory psychophysics laboratory.
• Observation of multimodal, embodied language used in scientific experiments.
• Examination of how smell is discussed and enacted in everyday scientific affairs.

Main Results:

• The study reveals that smell, contrary to assumptions of ineffability, is deeply integrated into scientific practices and everyday language.
• Laboratory events demonstrate a rich, multimodal language of smell, enmeshing sensory experience with the material world.
• The findings destabilize the concept of an independent, agential subject, emphasizing instead a pre-intentional sensibility connected to the world.

Conclusions:

• Rethinking our relationship with the world through the lens of smell challenges human-centric perspectives.
• The sense of smell highlights our immersion in and connection with the world, rather than dominance over it.
• A pre-intentional sensibility, deeply connected to the world, offers a more nuanced understanding of human experience than intersubjectivity alone.