Aircraft Stories

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In this work, noted sociologist of technoscience John Law narrates the British endeavor to develop the TSR2 military aircraft, revealing how such technological projects are embedded in complex contexts. Law challenges the binary distinction between modernist and postmodernist views of knowledge, subjects, and objects, arguing instead for a perspective where these elements are “fractionally coherent.” This concept suggests that they can coalesce without being centered. By examining the design, construction, and eventual cancellation of the TSR2, Law employs various metaphors to illustrate its fractional nature and the interactions among its components. He provides insights into system dynamics, exploring the interplay between singularity and multiplicity, and offering new interpretations of concepts like oscillation, interference, fractionality, and rhizomatic networks. The methodologies and insights presented will be crucial for students in science and technology studies, while also appealing to those interested in how contemporary paradigms restrict our understanding of objects in their full complexity.