ABSTRACT
Studies of communities that produce knowledge about the natural world have largely focused on groups working with or for academic scientists and conforming to the epistemic values of academic knowledge production. This paper details a community that produces natural knowledge outside of those parameters. The reef hobbyist community, a group that works with aquariums as a form of non-professional leisure, has developed historical narratives, publishing standards, and recognized forms of expertise that are not shared by academic scientists. However, their goal is to produce knowledge about coral systems and their hobby has resulted in a wealth of knowledge about coral husbandry. In this paper, I identify the structure of this community, highlight several prominent groups that make up the network of reef hobbyists, and trace the ways that they produce knowledge about the marine environment through their actions. This paper contributes to discussions about diverse ways of knowing and differing forms of knowledge production in the history and philosophy of science. By examining the history and practices of a well-developed knowledge community outside of academic science, I hope to call attention to the ways that philosophers and historians have centered academic science and its structure and use of knowledge, even in conversations about non-professional knowledge producers. This paper pushes scholars to think more deeply about the way knowledge is developed in non-academic groups.
Subject(s)
Anthozoa , Hobbies , Animals , Knowledge , Philosophy/history , PublishingABSTRACT
The availability of freshwater aquarium fish species for sale was surveyed from July 2005 to June 2006 in Brazilian electronic commerce and the Orkut website. São Paulo was the leading state regarding virtual shops, auctions on Arremate/Mercado Livre, and hobbyists on Orkut, with 52, 44 and 46%, respectively. The Southeast and South regions led the offer of pest species such as C. carpio, C. auratus and P. reticulata. Among the 207 species for sale, 14 species considered potential pests were identified, contrasting with only one page that warned about the dangers of aquarium dumping. The easy access to fish (especially the potential pest species) through e-commerce and Orkut, together with the low total price (unitary value + shipping and handling ranging from US$ 17.67 to 30.39), and fast interstate delivery (two-four days on average) confirm the widespread e-commerce accessibility and its high dispersal potential via postal services and home hobbyists trade. It is imperative to enforce the use of warnings or alert messages in e-commerce about the dangers of biological invasions.
A disponibilidade para venda de espécies de peixes ornamentais de água doce foi pesquisada de julho/2005 a junho/2006 no comércio eletrônico brasileiro e no site de relacionamentos Orkut. O Estado de São Paulo foi o principal em lojas virtuais, leilões no Arremate/Mercado Livre e aquaristas vendendo peixes no Orkut, com 52, 44 e 46%, respectivamente. As regiões Sudeste e Sul são as que mais anunciaram espécies como C. carpio, C. auratus e P. reticulata. Entre as 207 espécies disponíveis para venda, 14 foram identificadas como potenciais praga, contrastando com apenas uma página eletrônica que alertava sobre os perigos do descarte de espécies ornamentais exóticas em novos ambientes. O fácil acesso aos peixes (notadamente espécies consideradas potenciais praga) pelo comércio eletrônico e Orkut, aliado a um preço acessível (valor unitário + embalagem + frete entre US$ 17,67 a 30,39) e rápido transporte interestadual (média de dois a quatro dias), confirma a ampla acessibilidade do comércio eletrônico e seu alto potencial de dispersão via correios e aquaristas amadores. É obrigação do comércio eletrônico por em execução o uso de avisos ou mensagens de alerta sobre os perigos das invasões biológicas.
