非人行动者的能动性质疑——反思拉图尔的行动者能动性观念

Questioning the Agency of Nonhumans:Reflection on Latour's Idea of the Agency of the Actors

拉图尔在行动者网络理论中提出的行动者能动性观念认为非人元素与人类一样,都作为科学行动者而享有完全对称的能动性,这种认可非人作为行动者也具有能动性的观点备受争议。拉图尔之所以赋予非人以能动性,一是为了在行动者网络理论中继续体现他对科学的历时性特征的理解,二是为了实现科学研究的"人的祛中心化"。从行动者网络理论的结构主义符号学渊源来看,非人行动者的能动性观念存在先天性的不足之处。

Latour puts forward the idea of the actors' agency in ANT and thinks that nonhumans, as well as humans, sharecomplete symmetrical agency. By suggesting such a controversial idea, Latour wants firstly to show his understanding of thediachronic characteristics of science and secondly to realize the decentralization of humans in science studies. Judging from thesource of structuralist semiotics of ANT, the idea of nonhumans' agency has inherent disadvantages.