The Silences of Science : Gaps and Pauses in the Communication of Science

Over the last half century scholars from a range of disciplines have attempted to theorise silence. Naively we tend to think of silence negatively, as a lack, an emptiness. Yet silence studies shows that silence is more than mere absence. All speech incorporates silence, not only in the gaps between words or the pauses that facilitate turn taking, but in the omissions that result from the necessary selectivity of communicative acts. Thus silence is significant in and of itself; it is a sign that has socially-constructed (albeit context -dependent and ambiguous) meanings. To date, studies of science communication have focussed on what is said rather than what is not said. They have highlighted the content of communication rather than its form, and have largely ignored the gaps, pauses and lacunae that are an essential, and meaningful, part of any communicative act. Both the sociology of science and the history of science have also failed to highlight the varied functions of silence in the practice of science, despite interests in tacit knowledge and cultures of secrecy. Through a range of case studies from historical and contemporary situations, this volume draws attention to the significance of silence, its different qualities and uses, and the nature, function and meaning of silence for science and technology studies. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 List of illustrations 8 List of contributors 9 Introduction: The communicative functions of silence in science 14 Signifying silence 16 A typology of silence 20 External, suppressive silences 22 Internal, suppressive silences 25 Internal, generative silences 29 External, generative silences 32 Epistemological silences 35 Tuning in to silence 37 References 37 Part I: Choosing silence 42 1. ‘He didn’t go round the conference circuit talking about it’: Oral histories of Joseph Farman and the ozone hole 44 Introduction 44 Recording ozone 44 Saying nothing 46 The ozone hole 49 Talking about the ozone hole to the media and politicians 53 Conclusion 57 Notes 59 References 59 2. Darwin’s silence: An anatomy of quietude 61 Introduction 61 The race to the top 63 A quiet place to work 65 A good time to publish 70 Someone to turn to 74 References 75 3. ‘Tired with this subject ...’: Isaac Newton on publishing and the ideal natural philosopher 78 Introduction 78 All was light ... 80 A new theory of light and colour 83 Storm and silence 86 Deliberations 90 From light to darkness 94 Some concluding remarks 96 Postscript 97 Notes 98 References 99 4. Engineers at the patient’s bedside: The case of silence in inter-institutional educational innovation 102 Introduction 102 A dynamic and relational perspective on innovation 104 A case study of innovation in education 109 Silence as a strategy for facilitating collaboration 119 References 123 Part II: Cultures of silence 126 5. Talking about secrets: The Hanford nuclear facility and news reporting of silence, 1945–1989 128 Problematizing Hanford in the 131 Accounting for the dynamics of silence 138 Conclusions 142 Notes 143 References 144 6. Silence and selection: The ‘trick cyclist’ at the War Office Selection Boards 148 Speaking up on selection 149 Strategic and problematic silences at selection boards 151 Attempts to silence the ‘trick cyclist’ 157 Conclusion: was the ‘trick cyclist’ silenced? 161 Notes 162 References 162 7. The silenced subject: Oral history and the experience of cancer research 165 Introduction 165 A case for subjectivity 166 ‘It wasn’t spoken about’ 167 ‘The decision has to be yourself’ 168 ‘I’ll do this one for you’ 171 ‘Tell me what it is in English’ 174 ‘Neither treatment would let me down’ 177 ‘They must know more than they’re saying’ 180 Conclusion 181 Notes 182 References 183 8. Reconstructing ancient thought: The case of Ancient Egyptian mathematics 185 Introduction 185 Survival of evidence 187 Main sources 189 Multiplication 193 Unit fractions 194 The 2/n table 196 Translation problems 198 Modern maths as a yardstick 200 Greek opinion 202 Conclusion 203 Notes 204 References 204 9. Meditations on silence: The (non-)conveying of the experiential in scientific accounts of Buddhist meditation 206 Putting experience into words 207 Moon pointing: ‘can nots’ and ‘should nots’ of recounting meditation 210 Meditation under trial: what is not being rendered in words 212 Recent experiences in contemplative neuroscience and neurophenomenology 219 Concluding remarks 224 Notes 225 References 227 Part III: Silences in the public sphere 232 10. The silent introduction of synthetic dyestuffs into nineteenth-century food 234 Unintended uses 234 A discovery of wonder 235 Artificial food colouring before aniline dyes 237 Aniline dyes silently replace metals 238 Fears centred on foreign food 239 Scientists ignore public concern 240 Public analysts fight for recognition 242 Chemical dyes prove elusive 244 Food is a political issue 247 Conclusion 249 Notes 251 References 251 11. Having it all: Ownership in open science 254 The ideal of open science 254 These data are mine 257 It’s not real work ... 258 Why did I bother getting this Ph.D? 258 The quality of data 260 Navigating the data flow 261 Conclusion 262 References 263 12. Shocking silences: The management and distribution of silences around TASER TM 266 Characterising TASER 266 Silences in the STS literature 268 The distribution and management of ambiguities 268 From ambiguities to silences 271 The existing literature on TASER 272 The distribution and management of silences around TASER 275 Conclusion 282 Notes 283 References 283 13. ‘An outcry of silences’ Charles Hoy Fort and the uncanny voices of science 287 ‘So Charles Fort has written a – whatever it is’: introducing Fort’s life and work 288 ‘Are you a follower of the late Charles Fort?’: reading communities as judges 292 ‘The new American would need to think in contradictions’: belief and earnestness 296 Conclusion 304 Notes 305 References 306 Index 309 'They must know more than they're saying' -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 8. Reconstructing ancient thought: The case of Ancient Egyptian mathematics -- Introduction -- Survival of evidence -- Main sources -- Multiplication -- Unit fractions -- The 2/n table -- Translation problems -- Modern maths as a yardstick -- Greek opinion -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 9. Meditations on silence: The (non- )conveying of the experiential in scientific accounts of Buddhist meditation -- Putting experience into words -- Moon pointing: 'can nots' and 'should nots' of recounting meditation "Through a range of case studies from historical and contemporary situations, this volume draws attention to the significance of silence, its different qualities and uses, and the nature, function and meaning of silence for science and technology studies."--Book description, Amazon.com