Abstract
In this article I reflecton the contemporary arguments for democratisation of science, in light of the work of the historian of the life sciences Ludwik Fleck. I explore some possible reasons for the current demands for 'responsibility' among scientific researchers, and briefly consider this in the context of the various arguments that have made a link between democracy and science, or considered the role of science in a democratic society. I conclude by considering some recent proposals for opening up the secluded spaces of scientific research and truth finding, and suggest that, far from destabilising scientific truth, such developments might actually address the well known failures of 'translation from bench to bedside', and make scientific truth claims in the life sciences more robust when they leave the lab and enter the world of everyday life.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 459-472 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | BioSocieties |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |