Trading zones: the understanding and construction in science and philosophy

Abstract

The author considers the specifics of “trading zones” as a cognitive model for the study of interdisciplinary interaction which is aimed to compensate lack of understanding between different scientific and non-scientific practices. It is argued that “trading zones” represents the unity of its intellectual, material and social components that creates the «communications area» for joint activities to produce new creative products. It is emphasized that the understanding of the mechanism of formation and functioning of the “trading zone” is a matter of epistemology. It is also claimed that “trading zones” provide the mediation in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary researches.