How to make science more effective: fluid objects, biohacker’s virtue and the sovereign

The article analyses the project of a new “Republic of Letters” built on the basis of epistemic virtues of biohackers. Consideration of the new “Republic of Letters” involves studying the concept of “fluid object”, which is key for a number of studies in the framework of actor-network theory. The author claims that fluidity is not an ontological property of the object itself. The concept of fluidity is used by researchers of science and technology to demonstrate the contingent variability of objects under conditions of their immutability in network spaces. It is proved that scientists and engineers strive to create extensive networks of stable relationships, and, consequently, science has never had the desired degree of autonomy. The article demonstrates the concept of risk as the general basis for the organization of institutional and citizen science. The risk model that emerged in the 70s of the twentieth century defined the conditions of the “new social contract” of science and the state setting the key principles of their interaction. In context of the coronavirus pandemic, the risk model is becoming basic for introducing the quarantine measures. At the same time, the quarantine is considered as a special case of “state of emergency” demonstrating the sovereignty of the state. The pandemic itself and its related activities are primarily political. Thus, the spread of epistemic virtues of biohackers is not able to solve all the problems associated with the creation of a new “Republic of Letters”.