Nota crítica sobre after method. Mess in social science research de John Law

Abstract

This note aims to make a critical reading of the book After method. Mess in social science research, written by John Law. To this end, the plot of the play will be presented, using criteria analysis identifying the ontological, epistemological and methodological foundations that support it. John Law is one of the main authors of the actor-network theory, known in Argentina in the field of sociology of science and technology but with little integration in the area of research methodology. In this text - published only in English- he proposes to conduct a review of the state of scientific methods in general, but with particular emphasis on the social sciences. His proposal is based on a profound critique of hegemonic epistemology and methodology and warns the limitations of each method: parts of the world are captured by the methods but other parts are not, and if they are, they often do distorting them. Throughout the book, Law will stress, will question, or will cancel such epistemological assumptions. For it will use various specific research, which described in detail and to analyze aided by contributions from different philosophical and epistemological critics’ perspectives. Analyzing different practices of knowledge (scientific and non-scientific), Law shows each politics and ethics dimension, it reveals the different ontological, epistemological and methodological regimes they programs begin.