A Theory of the Real

Memento from a mind-bending class on the philosophy of science at CSCS, Bangalore. Definitely one of the better courses I have taken to date.

One of the discoveries was the work of Donna Haraway.  In her book Primate Visions, among many, many other things she successfully makes the case that the natural sciences much like the human sciences are inextricably within the processes that give them birth. And so, like the human sciences, the natural sciences are culturally and historically specific, modified, involved.

Here is a nice quote that stayed with me from the introduction:

Both fiction and fact are rooted in an epistemology that appeals to experience. However, there is an important difference; the word fiction is an active form, referring to a present act of fashioning, while fact is a descendent of a past participle, a word form which masks the generative deed or performance. A fact seems done, unchangeable, fit only to be recorded; fiction seems always inventive, open to other possibilities, other fashionings.