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Kelly Shaw
Anthropology/History

Gautam Bhattacharyya, Mentor
James Mohr, Mentor

False Epistemologies: the Curious Case of Helicobacter pylori

The study of the production of scientific knowledge has become a major issue within the fields of science and technology studies and the history and sociology of science. Following Latour's work on the resolution of scientific controversies, it has become evident that researchers are often unaware of the epistemological foundations that structure their work. This can lead to the adoption of false epistemologies that erroneously guide research. A study of the history of Helicobacter pylori and peptic ulcer disease (PUD) reveals the false epistemology that guided researchers in the medical sciences for over 100 years and prevented the earlier discovery of a bacterial etiology for type B gastritis and PUD.