Transition from mertonian sociology to the strong programme in the sociology of knowledge
A rational reconstruction of the transition from Mertonian sociology to the strong programme of the sociology of knowledge (D. Bloor, B. Barnes) is elucidated. It is maintained that the well-known’ historical turn’ in philosophy of science constituted only one of the reasons that engendered the transition. The other one was the inefficacy of the Mertonian research programme to cope with the Ethos of Science. The host of four notorious basic norms appeared to be too abstract to permeate the real demeanour of scientists, being merely a part of “scientific ideology”.