1. Philosophy of science for science communication in twenty-two questions
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Gregor Betz
Abstract
Philosophy of science attempts to reconstruct science as a rational cognitive enterprise. In doing so, it depicts a normative ideal of knowledge acquisition and does not primarily seek to describe actual scientific practice in an empirically adequate way. A comprehensive picture of what good science consists in may serve as a standard against which we evaluate and criticize actual scientific practices. Such a normative picture may also explain why it is reasonable for us to trust scientists - to the extent that they live up to the ideal - and to rely on their findings in decision-making. Likewise, a sound normative understanding of science exposes the limits of scientific understanding and prevents us from placing blind faith in scientists and experts. For these reasons, philosophy of science represents a useful resource and background theory for the practice and study of science communication. In this handbook article, we provide an opinionated introduction to philosophy of science by flashing a light on 22 central issues, which (we think) are of special interest to scholars and practitioners of science communication - and, in particular, to scholars and practitioners of external science communication.
Abstract
Philosophy of science attempts to reconstruct science as a rational cognitive enterprise. In doing so, it depicts a normative ideal of knowledge acquisition and does not primarily seek to describe actual scientific practice in an empirically adequate way. A comprehensive picture of what good science consists in may serve as a standard against which we evaluate and criticize actual scientific practices. Such a normative picture may also explain why it is reasonable for us to trust scientists - to the extent that they live up to the ideal - and to rely on their findings in decision-making. Likewise, a sound normative understanding of science exposes the limits of scientific understanding and prevents us from placing blind faith in scientists and experts. For these reasons, philosophy of science represents a useful resource and background theory for the practice and study of science communication. In this handbook article, we provide an opinionated introduction to philosophy of science by flashing a light on 22 central issues, which (we think) are of special interest to scholars and practitioners of science communication - and, in particular, to scholars and practitioners of external science communication.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Table of contents VII
- Introduction to the volume XI
-
I. Perspectives of research on scholarly and science communication
- 1. Philosophy of science for science communication in twenty-two questions 3
- 2. Science understanding between scientific literacy and trust: contributions from psychological and educational research 29
- 3. The contribution of media studies to the understanding of science communication 51
- 4. Analyzing science communication through the lens of communication science: Reviewing the empirical evidence 77
- 5. Modeling science communication: from linear to more complex models 105
- 6. The contribution of laboratory studies, science studies and Science and Technology Studies (STS) to the understanding of scientific communication 123
- 7. The contribution of linguistics and semiotics to the understanding of science communication 143
- 8. The contribution of terminology research to the understanding of science communication 167
- 9. The study of student academic writing 187
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II. Text types, media, and practices of science communication
- 10. Epistemic genres 209
- 11. On the nature and role of visual representations in knowledge production and science communication 235
- 12. The lecture and the presentation – rhetorics and technology 257
- 13. Spoken language in science and the humanities 271
- 14. Scholarly reviewing 289
- 15. Scientific controversies 311
- 16. Symbolic notation in scientific communication: a panorama 335
- 17. The rise of symbolic notation in scientific communication: the case of mathematics 357
- 18. Grant proposal writing as a dialogic process 377
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III. Science, scientists, and the public
- 19. Communicative strategies of popularization of science (including science exhibitions, museums, magazines) 399
- 20. Science journalism 417
- 21. Teaching science journalism as a blueprint for future journalism education 439
- 22. Science communication and public relations: beyond borders 465
- 23. Science communication, advising, and advocacy in public debates 485
- 24. Forms of science presentations in public settings 515
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IV. Historical perspectives on science communication
- 25. Historical perspectives on internal scientific communication 547
- 26. Academic teaching: the lecture and the disputation in the history of erudition and science 569
- 27. Historical aspects of external science communication 585
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V. Science communication: present and future
- 28. Reconfigurations of science communication research in the digital age 603
- 29. The library in a changing world of scientific communication 625
- 30. Scholarly communication in social media 639
- 31. Current trends and future visions of (research on) science communication 657
- Contributors to this volume 689
- Index 697
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Table of contents VII
- Introduction to the volume XI
-
I. Perspectives of research on scholarly and science communication
- 1. Philosophy of science for science communication in twenty-two questions 3
- 2. Science understanding between scientific literacy and trust: contributions from psychological and educational research 29
- 3. The contribution of media studies to the understanding of science communication 51
- 4. Analyzing science communication through the lens of communication science: Reviewing the empirical evidence 77
- 5. Modeling science communication: from linear to more complex models 105
- 6. The contribution of laboratory studies, science studies and Science and Technology Studies (STS) to the understanding of scientific communication 123
- 7. The contribution of linguistics and semiotics to the understanding of science communication 143
- 8. The contribution of terminology research to the understanding of science communication 167
- 9. The study of student academic writing 187
-
II. Text types, media, and practices of science communication
- 10. Epistemic genres 209
- 11. On the nature and role of visual representations in knowledge production and science communication 235
- 12. The lecture and the presentation – rhetorics and technology 257
- 13. Spoken language in science and the humanities 271
- 14. Scholarly reviewing 289
- 15. Scientific controversies 311
- 16. Symbolic notation in scientific communication: a panorama 335
- 17. The rise of symbolic notation in scientific communication: the case of mathematics 357
- 18. Grant proposal writing as a dialogic process 377
-
III. Science, scientists, and the public
- 19. Communicative strategies of popularization of science (including science exhibitions, museums, magazines) 399
- 20. Science journalism 417
- 21. Teaching science journalism as a blueprint for future journalism education 439
- 22. Science communication and public relations: beyond borders 465
- 23. Science communication, advising, and advocacy in public debates 485
- 24. Forms of science presentations in public settings 515
-
IV. Historical perspectives on science communication
- 25. Historical perspectives on internal scientific communication 547
- 26. Academic teaching: the lecture and the disputation in the history of erudition and science 569
- 27. Historical aspects of external science communication 585
-
V. Science communication: present and future
- 28. Reconfigurations of science communication research in the digital age 603
- 29. The library in a changing world of scientific communication 625
- 30. Scholarly communication in social media 639
- 31. Current trends and future visions of (research on) science communication 657
- Contributors to this volume 689
- Index 697
