Bruno Latour, Aramis, or the Love of Technology, PDF - Dss-edit.com

"Either they didn't put enough energy into it-but I don't think that was theproblem-or, quite simply, when the program doesn't work well technologically,it becomes harder and harder to find money. No, no, when they tell youthat 'it's technologically perfected, but there's no market,' it doesn't wash. Ifthey'd really solved the problems, really resolved the technological difficulties,then they would have found financing. At least they would have found it moreeasily; they would have at least fulfilled the contract."The heart of the problem, as I see it, is that Matra was looking forimprovements to VAL and never did believe in Aramis." [no. 31]So it's technologically infeasible after all. I'm back to my originalinterpretation. Aramis is not viable: not only is it operationally unviable,but the mobile unit itself is impossible to build. As for the secondarybenefits, they're a justification after the fact, a rationalization, for sayingthat the whole thing hasn't been a waste. Norbert is completelymistaken. We have to go back to doing " classic" sociology, as he callsit; we've got nothing but scandals, irrationality, coverup operations, andex post facto rationalizations.[INTERVIEW EXCERPTS]M. Laredo, then with the Research Ministry, a specialist in science policyand evaluation of research programs:"It's a problem of science policy, of project management, if you like. Wetried to use the CET to do far too many things at once, things that weren't allon the same level."I do understand what you're asking, but as for the question of technologicalfeasibility, you really have to be organized to be able to answer it. Otherwise,you don't know, and here's where the CET failed: we can 't answer thatquestion."The CET was also supposed to be the head of a line in a network, all atthe same time; that was the fatal flow."The Center for Technological Experimentalion is a botched compromisebetween experimental development and bUilding the head of a line. Themechanics of the transition to the CET stage condemned the proiect to foil. No,