Abstract
Modern science, whose methodologies give special privilege to using decontextualizing strategies and downplay the role of context-sensitive strategies, have been extraordinarily successful in producing knowledge whose applications have transformed the shape of the lifeworld. Nevertheless, I argue that how the mainstream of the modern scientific tradition interprets the nature and objectives of science is incoherent; and that today there are two competing interpretations of scientific activities that are coherent and that maintain continuity with the success of the tradition: commercially-oriented technoscience (CT) and multi-strategy (MS). The greater part of this article is devoted to discussing what is involved in MS, by pointing to its positive research program in three areas (social technology, agroecology and food sovereignty), and its critical stance towards the innovations of CT, especially insofar as it makes use of the Precautionary Principle. In this way important dimensions of the agenda of science and technology for social justice, democratic participation and sustainability become clear.
Highlights
Science and technology for social justice, democratic participation and sustainability (S/T-SJDPS) refers to scientific activities and technological developments carried out in response to the question: “How should scientific research be conducted, and by whom, with what priorities and using what kinds of methodologies, and how should technologies be developed and administered, so as to ensure that nature is respected, that its regenerative powers are not further undermined and restored wherever possible, and that the rights, well being and conditions for constructive participation in a democratic society, are enhanced for everyone everywhere?” (Lacey, 2008b; 2014)
Impartiality, a hypothesis becomes accepted as scientific knowledge, or a theory as well confirmed of a specified domain of phenomena, only when it is judged to be well supported by available empirical evidence in the light of strictly cognitive criteria that do not reflect particular ethical or social values, and only after it has been tested in the course of an appropriate program of empirical/experimental research that thoroughly tests competing hypotheses
When an innovation is being considered for implementation, the precautionary stance leads to posing the questions: What is the range of alternatives that could be available if appropriate research were conducted? And, which alternative, all things considered, is the best alternative – or more to the point, taking into account that “best” is likely be thought of differently in the context of different locations and value perspectives, what appropriately varied and combined set of alternatives is the best way to go? The precautionary stance represents the critical side of S/T-SJDPS; at the same time, by way of its posing questions about the range of alternatives, it links up with its positive thrust
Summary
Conducting a scientific research project requires the adoption of a methodological strategy – i.e., specifying constraints on the kinds of hypotheses, models and theories that may be entertained in it, identifying the kinds of possibilities that may be explored and conceptual resources that may be deployed, and criteria for selecting the kinds of empirical data to procure, of what phenomena, and using what kinds of descriptive categories and data-gathering mechanisms and procedures (Lacey, 2005, ch. 1). Conducting a scientific research project requires the adoption of a methodological strategy – i.e., specifying constraints on the kinds of hypotheses, models and theories that may be entertained in it, identifying the kinds of possibilities that may be explored and conceptual resources that may be deployed, and criteria for selecting the kinds of empirical data to procure, of what phenomena, and using what kinds of descriptive categories and data-gathering mechanisms and procedures Investigating different kinds of phenomena may require adopting different kinds of strategies (section 1.3.1): e.g., one kind to investigate the genomes of plants and engineerscientiæ zudia, São Paulo, v. Scientific research, technological innovation and the agenda of social justice. Ing techniques for modifying them; another to investigate their effects on health and environment in the lifeworld contexts in which the plants and their products are used
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