Aramis, or the Love of Technology
Encyclopedia
Aramis, or the Love of Technology, was written by French sociologist/anthropologist Bruno Latour
. Aramis was originally published in French in 1993; the English translation by Catherine Porter, copyrighted in 1996, ISBN 9780674043237, is now in its fourth edition (2002). Latour describes his text as "scientifiction," which he describes as "a hybrid genre... for a hybrid task" (p. ix). The genre includes voices of a young engineer discussing his "sociotechnological initiation," his professor's commentary which introduces Actor-network theory
(ANT), field documents - including real-life interviews, and the voice of Aramis-- a failed technology ( p. x).
The book is a quasi-mystery, which attempts to discover who killed Aramis (personal rapid transit). Aramis was supposed to be implemented as a Personal Rapid Transit
(PRT) system in Paris. Simultaneously, while investigating Aramis's demise, Latour delineates the tenets of Actor-network theory. Latour argues that the technology failed not because any particular actor killed it, but because the actors failed to sustain it through negotiation and adaptation to a changing social situation.
Bruno Latour
Bruno Latour is a French sociologist of science and anthropologist and an influential theorist in the field of Science and Technology Studies...
. Aramis was originally published in French in 1993; the English translation by Catherine Porter, copyrighted in 1996, ISBN 9780674043237, is now in its fourth edition (2002). Latour describes his text as "scientifiction," which he describes as "a hybrid genre... for a hybrid task" (p. ix). The genre includes voices of a young engineer discussing his "sociotechnological initiation," his professor's commentary which introduces Actor-network theory
Actor-network theory
Actor–network theory, often abbreviated as ANT, is a distinctive approach to social theory and research which originated in the field of science studies...
(ANT), field documents - including real-life interviews, and the voice of Aramis-- a failed technology ( p. x).
The book is a quasi-mystery, which attempts to discover who killed Aramis (personal rapid transit). Aramis was supposed to be implemented as a Personal Rapid Transit
Personal rapid transit
Personal rapid transit , also called podcar, is a public transportation mode featuring small automated vehicles operating on a network of specially built guide ways...
(PRT) system in Paris. Simultaneously, while investigating Aramis's demise, Latour delineates the tenets of Actor-network theory. Latour argues that the technology failed not because any particular actor killed it, but because the actors failed to sustain it through negotiation and adaptation to a changing social situation.
Table of contents
- Preface
- Prologue: Who Killed Aramis?
- An Exciting Innovation
- Is Aramis Feasible?
- Shilly-Shallying in the Seventies
- Interphase: Three Years of Grace
- The 1984 Decision: Aramis Exists for Real
- Aramis at the CET Stage: Will it Keep its Promise?
- Aramis is Ready to Go (Away)
- Epilogue: Aramis Unloved
- Glossary
See also
- Laboratory lifeLaboratory LifeLaboratory Life: The Social Construction of Scientific Facts is a 1979 book by sociologists of science Bruno Latour and Steve Woolgar.This influential book in the field of science studies presents an anthropological study of Roger Guillemin's scientific laboratory at the Salk Institute...
(with Steve WoolgarSteve WoolgarStephen Woolgar is a British sociologist. He has worked closely with Bruno Latour, with whom he co-authored Laboratory Life: the Social Construction of Scientific Facts ....
) - Science in actionScience in ActionScience in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers through Society is an influential book by Bruno Latour. The English edition was published in 1987 by Harvard University Press. It is written in a text-book style, and contains a full featured approach to the empirical study of science and...
- Politics of naturePolitics of NaturePolitics of Nature: How to Bring the Sciences Into Democracy is an influential book by the French theorist and philosopher of science Bruno Latour. The book is an English translation by Catherine Porter of the French book, Politiques de la nature...
- We Have Never Been ModernWe Have Never Been ModernWe Have Never Been Modern is a 1991 book by Bruno Latour, originally published in French as Nous n'avons jamais été modernes : Essai d'anthropologie symétrique ....