Public Understanding of Science：Changes in the Model andImprovement of the Paradigm(PDF)
《南京师大学报》（社会科学版）[ISSN:1006-6977/CN:61-1281/TN]
- Issue:
- 2017年06期
- Page:
- 47-
- Research Field:
- 【社会学理论与实践】
- Publishing date:
Info
- Title:
- Public Understanding of Science：Changes in the Model andImprovement of the Paradigm
- Author(s):
- LIU Cui-xia
- Keywords:
- public understanding of science; deficit model; reflexivity model; dialogue model; participationmodel
- PACS:
- -
- DOI:
- -
- Abstract:
- Public understanding of science（ PUS） is the first important paradigm of understanding therelationship between science and the public in the modern society. It is often dubbed“ deficit model” becauseit presupposes the public deficit of knowledge and emphasizes the necessity that scientists bridge“ knowledgegap” and promote the public scientific literacy. However，the deficit presupposition，the statement“ Ignoranceleads to suspicion and backwardness”，and the inference“ Had scientists disseminated scientific knowledgeto the public with top-down approaches，the public knowledge would have increased and been sufficient”，have all been falsified in both logical inference and practical application. Facing the difficulties with the deficitmodel，many scholars propose some renovation strategies：to reverse the deficit idea and attach importanceto the scientific understanding of the public；or to break epistemic asymmetry and realize the equal dialoguebetween scientists and the public；or to encourage the public engagement with science and build a newknowledge pattern of the citizens’ science. Those models，i.e. Reflexivity Model，Conversation Model，andParticipation Model，are associated with as well as dissociated from the deficit model. Mobilizing the ideasof“ understanding” from hermeneutics，we can clarify the logical connection between understanding anddeficiency，reflexivity，conversation，participation；revalue the significance of PUS；and explore the effectivetactics to resolve the legitimization and the trust crises of science.
Last Update: 2017-11-25