A neutralidade da ciência na Ciência da Informação

Abstract

Science, as a human construct, is immersed in social, historical, and cultural contexts. The debate about neutrality of science has gained prominence by questioning the idea that scientific activity is purely objective, free from values, interests, and ideologies, making it pertinent to ask whether it can truly be neutral. It is within this context that this research addresses the neutrality of science, focusing on its relevance to the field of Information Science (IS). The study's general objective is to analyze studies on scientific neutrality in IS publications, and, to this end, its specific objectives present the relationship between the development of science and its products, review the literature on scientific neutrality, and identify studies that address the topic in the field. The theoretical framework, based on authors such as Koyré, Kuhn, and Lacan, points out that scientific knowledge is inseparable from paradigms, theory, and historically constituted subjectivities. The research methodology is basic in nature, with a qualitative approach and exploratory character, using bibliographic and documentary procedures through a narrative literature review. The results show that neutrality is discussed in Information Science from three main perspectives: epistemological, by problematizing the limits of objectivity; ethical, by highlighting those practices of knowledge organization and representation involve choices and values; and applied, by demonstrating that informational instruments and systems are not neutral. Therefore, it was possible to verify that the neutrality of science does not hold up as a real condition in the field of Information Science, instead configuring itself as an ideal in tension with the ethical and social responsibilities of the area, and that recognizing this non-neutrality is essential to promote more critical, transparent, and inclusive informational practices.