Repository | Journal | Volume | Articles
(2015) Synthese 192 (1).
In recent years, the argument from inductive risk against value free science has enjoyed a revival. This paper investigates and clarifies this argument through means of a case-study: neonicitinoid research. Sect. 1 argues that the argument from inductive risk is best conceptualised as a claim about scientists’ communicative obligations. Sect. 2 then shows why this argument is inapplicable to “public communication”. Sect. 3 outlines non-epistemic reasons why non-epistemic values should not play a role in public communicative contexts. Sect. 4 analyses the implications of these arguments both for the specific case of neonicitinoid research and for understanding the limits of the argument from inductive risk. Sect. 5 sketches the broader implications of my claims for understanding the “Value Free Ideal” for science.
Publication details
DOI: 10.1007/s11229-014-0554-7
Full citation:
John, S. (2015). Inductive risk and the contexts of communication. Synthese 192 (1), pp. 79-96.
This document is unfortunately not available for download at the moment.