The book offers a fundamental view on the problem of forgetting in sociology in general and within sociology of knowledge. Furthermore it focuses - as a case study - on the field of modern science. With recourse to the term oblivionism, originally introduced with ironic-critical intent by the german romance scholar Harald Weinrich, it analyzes the fundamental and multifaceted problem of the loss of knowledge in the field of science. A declarative-reflective, an incorporated-practical and an objectified-technical memory motif is at the centre. These form the basis for the development of the three forms of forgetting that are also central to modern science: forgetfulness, wanting to forget and, ultimately, making one forget.

Oliver Dimbath is Professor of General Sociology at the University of Koblenz-Landau. As a sociologist of memory, he has written numerous works on questions of social memory as well as social remembering and forgetting. He is co-editor of the book series 'Soziales Gedächtnis, Erinnern und Vergessen - Memory Studies'.