What can science do in the face of pandemics

Bibliographic Data

ID13124154
AuthorsAlexander Bogner (0000-0002-4211-2858, Austrian Academy of Sciences, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume7
Issue1
Pages122-135
Publication date2022-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCulture Practice & Europeanization (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2566-7742 • E-ISSN: 2566-7742
PublisherNomos (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.5771/2566-7742-2022-1-122
OpenAlexW4296756509
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited3

In 2020, the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) publicly announced a prize question: “What can science do in the face of pandemics?” (2021). For this journal article the prize-winning essay submitted by the author was translated, updated and - thanks to helpful reviewer comments - revised. Science, it is argued, has different roles in times of crisis: First of all, it must educate about the (changing) crisis situation and provide as robust data, studies and facts as possible. In order to stabilize public trust in science, it is also necessary to provide the public an insight into the logic of scientific knowledge production and related uncertainties and insufficiencies. Last but not least, science has to educate about the limits of its own responsibility and authority. This means that the basic difference between science and politics should not be blurred. Especially in times of crisis, when the political value of science is particularly evident, science should avoid the impression that it can replace political decision-making thanks to its findings

Business · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Epistemology · Face (sociological concept · Order (exchange · Pandemic · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Value (mathematics · Computer Science · Health and Medical Studies · Law · Medicine · Philosophy