Turnhout ch4-5

Question 1

What are the three main features of knowledge controversies?

(focus, context and settling)

Answer 1

• There is often focus on the process and methods by which contested facts are produced
• There is a social context to the controversy that influences which facts are readily accepted and which are contested
• Are often not settled by means of evidence, but because people choose one side or the other, or disengage from the issue

Question 2

What is needed in knowledge controversies?

Answer 2

Often building of trust, rather than being right

Question 3

What does the linear model communicate?

(4)

Answer 3

• Scientific knowledge is important for rational decision making
• Scientific knowledge unproblematically translates into rational decisions
• If decision makers make the wrong decisions or fail to take effective action, it must be due to a lack of knowledge - a gap in the relation between science and policy
• If public views do not match those of experts - the public must suffer from an information deficit

Question 4

Why is the linear model simplistic and naïve?

(3)

Answer 4

• Decision making is driven by a variety of legitimate factors
• Scientific knowledge does not simply translate into action
• Science does not operate separate from societal concerns - science and society are entwined, science is influenced by societal and policy concerns

Question 5

What is the politicisation of science?

(3)

Answer 5

• Science becomes a resource in political struggles
• Science as a rhetorical resource that is mobilsed by actors in disputes to claim scientific status or reject unwelcome knowledge claims
• However, science often makes controversies worse

Question 6

What is the information deficit model?

(3)

Answer 6

• Part of the linear model
• If public views do not match those of experts - the public must suffer from an information deficit
• Solution is to improve the public understanding of science, improving the communication between science and society

Question 7

What are problems with the information deficit model?

(2)

Answer 7

• In many cases citiens do posses expert knowledge, but this does not mean that they agree with the scientists about the facts, interpretation of facts or consequences of the facts
• Greater knowledge may lead to greater resistance

Question 8

What are three crucial factors in understanding knowledge controversies?

Answer 8

• Context matters: In different circumstances, different critera and arguments are used to accept or reject scientific knowledge claims
• Framing matters: How certain issues get framed and how they are framed as controveries matters
• Trust matters: Trust is a condition for accepting scientific claims as credible

Question 9

What are two ways of conceptualising uncertainty?

Answer 9

• Uncertainty expressing the gap between how the world works and how we can represent this - new knowledge can reduce uncertainty
• Uncertainty expressing our judgement of the gap - new knowledge could both reduce and increase uncertainty

Question 10

What is risk?

(4)

Answer 10

• A function of the effect/impact of a particular event and the probability the event will happen
• However both are often hard to determine
• Frames determine how people judge risk
• Assessing risk implies making choices and value judgements

Question 11

What is the precautionary approach?

(2)

Answer 11

• If there is threat of serious or irreverisble damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures
• Legitimates decision and actions in situations characterised by uncertainty

Question 12

What are three sources for uncertainty?

Answer 12

• Multiple possible frames: the same problem can be framed in different ways and therefore analysed in different ways, resulting in uncertainity
• Variability: biological and social systems are characterised by variability, which cannot be reduced
• Limited knowledge: our representation of the world is incomplete