Chasing Technoscience: Matrix for Materiality , part of the Indiana Series in the Philosophy of Technology
, is a 2003 anthology edited by Don Ihde and Evan Selinger. The book explores how materiality—the physical and technological dimension—is essential to scientific practice, moving beyond traditional theory-biased philosophy to focus on "technoscience" (science embodied in technology). Core Themes
Materiality: Challenges human-centric and subjectivist views by showing how the social world is materially mediated.
Technoscience Studies: Merges the empirical focus of Science and Technology Studies (STS) with the conceptual depth of the philosophy of science.
Normativity: Examines the role of ethical and political values in technological development and scientific practice. Book Structure
The volume is organized into two primary parts, combining personal interviews with substantive essays from four major theorists and critical responses from their colleagues. Part One: Figures in Technoscience Chasing Technoscience: Matrix for Materiality , part of
This section features foundational work and interviews with four central figures:
Bruno Latour: Focuses on "The Promises of Constructivism" and the refusal to make an a priori distinction between humans and non-humans.
Donna Haraway: Contributes "Cyborgs to Companion Species," deconstructing nature/culture binaries through hybrids like dogs and cyborgs.
Andrew Pickering: Discusses human and non-human agency, maintaining a deliberate asymmetry based on human intentionality or "goal-directedness".
Don Ihde: Sketches his transition from traditional phenomenology to "post-phenomenology," focusing on the diverse relationships between humans, technology, and the world. Part Two: Comparisons and Critiques Technology and the Lifeworld (Don Ihde) Body and
The second half of the book features critical commentaries that pair, compare, and evaluate the positions of the four protagonists:
Postphenomenology: Discussion on whether a post-phenomenological approach is possible and its implications.
Inter-Theorist Links: Essays exploring the "Rortean links" between Ihde and Haraway, as well as comparative analyses of Haraway and Latour, and Ihde and Pickering.
Posthuman Perspectives: Philosophical assessments of science and technology through post-humanist lenses. Chasing Technoscience - Indiana University Press
For those who secure the MOBI version of Chasing Technoscience, here is a roadmap. The book is divided into three sections, each available for digital highlighting and marginalia on your Kindle app. What distinguishes the Indiana Series is its commitment
To understand why the Mobi version of this book is so sought after, one must respect the publisher. The Indiana Series in the Philosophy of Technology, edited by Don Ihde and published by Indiana University Press, is arguably the most important English-language book series in the field since the 1990s.
Key titles in the series include:
What distinguishes the Indiana Series is its commitment to materiality. Unlike abstract philosophy of science, this series forces readers to confront the weight, texture, and resistance of actual technologies—from telescopes to telephones, from hammer to hard drive.
Chasing Technoscience stands as a capstone text within this series precisely because it attempts to synthesize decades of materialist phenomenology into a portable "matrix." When you read this book, you are not reading mere theory; you are inheriting a methodological toolkit forged by two generations of philosophers.
The text champions "instrumental realism"—the idea that our instruments (microscopes, telescopes, algorithms) do not distort reality but give us access to unseen worlds. Technology is the "matrix" that births our understanding of the micro and macro cosmos.