Research On Bruno Latour’s Ontology-in-action

Bruno Latour is a famous contemporary philosopher of science, anthropologists and sociologists, the international S&TS (Science and Technology Studies) academia important figurehead. Ontology-in-action theory is his basic theory of the philosophy of science, and this ontology is not only the expression of mixed human and non-human, but also highlights action coupling relation in dynamic networks. So, Ontology-in-action theory reflects the consistency of ideas in Actor-Network theory, and provides a new understanding of the relationship between nature and society structure.Latour’s academic thought is closely related to his research experience and various theoretical background. After the excellent presentations of experience, he gradually realized to give a coherent philosophical statement. Latour’s laboratory research and theory of ANT corrected the SSK, traced the source of core concepts of ontology, also found the academic thinking of the development of contemporary french philosophy in postmodern theory. He inherited much from Serres’s ontology, the well known was the two concepts of "quasi-objects" and "mediation". Another french philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s concept of "immanence" and "rhizome", also known as the important source of Latour’s concept of "network". In addition, Latour agrees with Whitehead’s process philosophy, it is an operational experience of ontological metaphysical approach.Basing on the principle of symmetry generalized and quasi-objects, latour has proposed the ontology-in-action, broken the binary opposition between subject and object of modernity, achieved the irreducibility of heterogeneous constructivism. Science turned into the heterogeneous networks, "the assemblage of things" is creating our world, emphasizing the ontological status of actors are in the process. And then he is interested in the differences of "modes of existence", to emphasize the non-modernity of world and the diversity of culture, all which help to open the development of contemporary philosophy of science, and bridge the gap between science and humanities.