Despite their many internal differences, social epistemologists agree
on two points:

1. classical epistemology, philosophy of science and sociology of
knowledge have presupposed an idealized conception of scientific
inquiry that is unsupported by the social history of scientific
practices;

2. nevertheless, one still needs to articulate normatively appropriate
ends and means for science, given science's status as the exemplar of
rationality for society at large.

The question for social epistemologists, then, is whether science's
actual conduct is worthy of its exalted social status and what
political implications follow from one's answer. Link:
http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=book&id=4265

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