Why Democracies Need Science (eBook)

Harry Collins is a Fellow of the British Academy, and Distinguished Research Professor in the School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University. Robert Evans is Professor in Sociology at Cardiff University.

Preface

Part I: Introduction

Chapter 1: Science as a Moral Choice

Part II: Elective Modernism

Chapter 2: Choosing Science

Chapter 3: The Birds: Elective Modernism, Democracy and Science

Part III: Academic Context

Chapter 4: Elective Modernism in Context

Chapter 5: Institutional Innovations

Part IV: Manifesto

Conclusion: Elective Modernism and Democracy

Notes

References Cited

"Scientific and technological advances have a huge impact on our lives, yet science and society have an ambivalent relationship: science needs democracy to flourish but its techniques are beyond political accountability. In this thought-provoking book, Collins and Evans assert that "science gives substance to the way of being of democracy". Consequently, science is a key to achieving and safeguarding our democratic ideals."
--Barry Barish, Linde Professor of Physics, Emeritus, Caltech; PI and Director of LIGO, 1994-2005

"Free-market ideology threatens both science and democracy. Collins and Evans respond not with philosophical arguments but an appeal to common sense. They ask us first to see that we face a basic moral choice, and then to choose the values of modern science. A provocative and thoughtful book."
--Mark Brown, Professor of Government, California State University, Sacramento

"Should we only give credence to an expert in any given field, thereby discounting the view of non-specialists? Doing so would seem rather undemocratic. It would also appear to reduce the scope for holding experts accountable. [... Collins and Evans'] theory not only tries to explain how knowledge is acquired but also legitimises the contribution which non-practitioners can make to scientific practice."
--The Irish Times