Reconsidering the Understanding of Technoscientific Knowledge

Abstract

Nowadays, science and technology have immediate and powerful social impacts. Therefore, their systematic study is not possible without attention to questions of citizenship and democracy. Building upon this critical discussion, the present paper seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the changes in the lay and expert understanding of technoscientific knowledge. The presentation and analysis of these changes is mainly conceived in terms of significant sociological issues: the logic of the "public understanding of science", the search for alternative technological projects and the radical reconstruction of "expertise" and "knowledge politics". The necessity to adequately address these issues is vital for the future of civil society and the quality of our everyday life.