「科学を評価する」を問う

特集にあたって

抄録

　A task of measuring science is understanding what happens if we apply measurement activities into scientific practice whilst being fully aware of its profound relevance? Measuring science is a task of measuring scientific practice for various reasons and translating it into verbal activities. This also motivates “science of science” (de Solla Price 1963), as one of the academic roots of science and technology studies. It is needless to say, however, that measuring scientific practice not only refers to quantitative methods of this kind.

　To date there have been multiple methods for the measurement of science, which now go beyond the purpose of understanding of the status quo in science and extend influence in various applications like evaluation, budget allocation and policy making. Yet, any measurement method in effect reflects only one side of the subject but never covers complex elements of the subject as a whole. Particularly, in evaluation of science, as measurement=evaluation has attracted more attention in recent years, the result of measurement has raised more serious problems. Deepening political implications of measuring science requires the re-examination of its complex elements being placed into much wider social theoretical contexts. This is the aim of this special issue.

　Questioning “measuring science” encourages us to re-examine certain movements in all covering our contemporary society, which explicates the reality that scientific practice is part of social practice and these practices are closely linked.