Lecture 13 - Science, Environment, and Technology Flashcards
Where does knowledge/truth come from according to scientists?
Knowledge/truth is produced through rigorous objectivity and the application of the scientific method
Where does knowledge/truth come from according to sociologists?
Knowledge is the produce of social processes
What are Robert Merton’s Scientific Norms? (structural functionalist)
- ) Communalism
- ) Universalism
- ) Disinterestedness
- ) Organized Skepticism
What is Communalism?
The products of science belong to the whole scientific community (discoveries are not secret)
What is Universalism?
All scientists can contribute without being judged on personal characteristics
What is Disinterestedness?
Scientists do not act out of personal gain
What is Organized Skepticism?
Claims are exposed to critical scrutiny and peer review
What was Bryan Wynne’s perspective of science?
New science builds on old science and we are getting closer and closer to the truth –> PROGRESS
Scientific facts are …
Discovered and Constructed, and the process of construction is tidied up in written accounts although the process is very messy
Wynne said that Science is a social construction meaning what?
Nature plays no role - the knowledge has to “work” and it depends on how the information reaches the public and what they do with that information
What is the Deficit Model?
Scientists have the knowledge and the public/politicians do not, so the scientists have to communicate the facts and we listen and decide to accept them and behave accordingly
Why did the sheep farmers not trust the scientists?
They kept telling them wrong information and their track record was not good. They kept holding off to sell, because it would be financially detrimental and they depended on the information of the scientists
Why did the Scientists use the wrong model if the right model existed?
Two different scientific backgrounds and models and they didn’t communicate with each other –> process of ignorance
