Building on relational perspectives on agency and responsibility, this post examines how scientific knowledge itself emerges from dynamic, co-creative practices embedded in material and social relations. Traditional views often present science as an objective, detached endeavour uncovering fixed truths. A relational ontology suggests a different picture—one where science is an active participant in the world it studies.
1. Science as Embedded and Participatory
Science is not conducted from a timeless “view from nowhere,” but:
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Is situated within specific relational networks—social, material, historical,
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Involves interactions between observers, instruments, and phenomena,
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Produces knowledge that is context-dependent and evolving.
2. Co-Production of Knowledge and Reality
Experiments and models do not just reveal reality; they also:
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Shape and constrain what can be known,
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Co-actualise relational potentials through measurement and interpretation,
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Reflect the values, assumptions, and choices embedded in practices.
3. Implications for Objectivity and Progress
Relational science calls for:
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A refined notion of objectivity as robust, intersubjective coherence rather than absolute detachment,
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Recognition that progress is incremental, provisional, and negotiated,
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Openness to diverse perspectives and methodologies as complementary rather than competing.
4. Toward Reflexive and Responsible Science
Scientists, as relational agents, bear responsibility to:
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Reflect on how their methods influence phenomena,
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Foster inclusive and transparent knowledge practices,
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Engage with societal and ecological implications of their work.
Closing
Understanding science as a relational practice invites humility and creativity. It frames knowledge production as a living dialogue between humans, instruments, and the world—a continuous process of becoming.
In the next post, we will explore how this relational vision might extend beyond science to culture, technology, and social systems.
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