Lec 18: Ideal Scenario Flashcards
Ideal Science
Establish the appropriate balance of governmental regulations
Reduce the probability of negative consequences associated with risk
Purpose of regulation
Safeguarding public interest
Ideal Scenario
Scientific research should give information on the consequences and their probabilities associated with certain materials or processes
Ideal Situation
The scientific evidence is clear, given input from board of scientific experts, for broader issues, general populous would also give input
Factors involved in a government’s decision to set regulations
Immediate economic gain, health and environmental risks may be long term, public opinion or social impact, international influence
Economic Gain vs. Science
Industries may reap economic gains (wealth, jobs, higher immediate quality of life)
Harm established industries
Established industries may lobby or exert pressure on governments
Where is vinyl chloride used
Plastic used in construction, packaging, piping, household products, credit cards, medical tubing
Impact of public perception on policy
The average person is not science literate, often times do not understand science behind issue
Comes from previous biases, utilizes self-taught short cuts to make judgements, prioritizes personal experiences, familiarity, trusted sources
Potential pitfalls for nanotechnology
Covering up potential negative environmental and health impacts, public opinion turns on nanotechnology
How can nanotechnology avoid these pitfalls?
Education, transparency, and strong political advocacy
Problems with transparency
Increases reproducibility and trustworthiness of data, decreases chances of scientific fraud or conflicts of interest
Can be used as a weapon against authors
Can lead to attacks on inconvenient science
