Abstract
With an innovative perspective on the social character of ignorance production, agnotology has been a fruitful approach for understanding the social and epistemological consequences of the interaction between industry and scientific research. In this paper, I argue that agnotology, or the study of ignorance, contributes to a better understanding of commercially driven research and its societal impact, showing the ways in which industrial interests have reshaped the epistemic aims of traditional scientific practices, turning them into mechanisms of ignorance production. To do so, I examine some of the main contributions to agnotology and provide a taxonomy of practices of ignorance construction common in commercially driven research today. In particular, I present the tobacco industry’s campaign against the health hazards of smoking as a paradigmatic case of ignorance production, identifying five central strategies. I then argue that the same strategies have been used in three other cases—global warming, pharmaceuticals, and the 2008 financial crisis.
Highlights
Through the 20th century, the social organization of scientific research had radical transformations, from big in-house corporate labs fueled by major U.S corporations, such as DuPont and General Electrics, to military funded projects for national defense during the Cold War, to new forms of private research in the global market, where outsourcing and off-shoring practices have prevailed (Mirowski and Sent, 2008)
In general, the pharmaceutical industry has followed the same strategies as the tobacco industry. It has fostered uncertainty regarding scientific research that is unfriendly to the industry (McGoey, 2009), it has created research organizations to oppose scientific consensus, using major think tanks to channel their funds, it has recruited distinguished scientists to use their scientific credentials in their favor, and it has used the media, the funding of conferences, and the publication of favorable research as a PR strategy to promote their views with the public and within the scientific community
The aim of his paper was to show that agnotology is a useful tool for better understanding the impact of the industrial interests that pervade science today
Summary
Through the 20th century, the social organization of scientific research had radical transformations, from big in-house corporate labs fueled by major U.S corporations, such as DuPont and General Electrics, to military funded projects for national defense during the Cold War, to new forms of private research in the global market, where outsourcing and off-shoring practices have prevailed (Mirowski and Sent, 2008). The tobacco industry rechanneled them, to fulfill a very different aim, i.e., to undermine scientific research and researchers that were problematic for the industry’s commercial interests, obstructing knowledge and creating ignorance.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
