Social Influences on Science and Technology

Overview

The scientific community operates within a wider society that influences scientific and technological development, both directly through funding decisions and regulations and indirectly through shared social values. Students need to be alert to the ways in which scientists may be influenced by their prior beliefs without taking the extreme view that all scientific knowledge is socially determined. The role of the scientific community as a whole (see 12.1) is important in this respect too.

a This overlaps strongly with 12.5 the decision making ideas though it may be thought of more in terms of values than the rational concepts covered there. It is relevant to health issues 9.1, particularly to decisions on how much is spent on the diseases of developing countries. 9.3, human reproduction provides another example.

b Historical topics such as the miasma theory provide one type of example. The other is in current issues where vested interests are involved. Some examples can be found in the interpretation of data on climate change, 10.4 or risks of new medicines, 9.3.

c We expect to check that information comes from a reliable source. But does this sometimes exclude a new and original scientist? Scientists may exploit their status too. Pasteur provides a good example. There are also examples in 10.6 cosmology.