Abstract

This thesis examines the concept of black boxes in technoscience through a novel performative framework based on Joseph Rouse's theory of practical hermeneutics. By analyzing how black boxes function as figures and intellectual equipment within scientific practices, the research challenges traditional narratives about their origins and significance. The study reveals that while the term "black box" emerged at MIT during WWII, the concept was already implicit in electronic engineering practices through abstract circuit representations. The analysis demonstrates how black boxes embody a productive tension between intelligibility and unintelligibility in engineering contexts, where opacity serves as a deliberate feature enabling multi-level analysis. Furthermore, the research illuminates how black boxes acquire distinct meanings across different practice contexts - functioning as productive analytical tools in engineering while being viewed as obstacles to understanding in social sciences. Through this performative approach, the thesis successfully resolves tensions arising from the colloquial usage of black boxes in technoscience and provides a more nuanced understanding of their role in scientific practice.

Supervisor: Kristian H. Nielsen