A Kuhnian crisis in neo-Darwinism
Policy issues which receive large inputs of scientific and technical information are frequently marred by acrimonious controversies between contributing experts. There are few if any examples of a public policy decision being based on a firm consensus of scientific and technical experts. Such a consensus is taken for granted by the 'Rational' model of decision making and its derivatives. Comparing the dynamics of conflict in policy-relevant issues with those of conflict in 'pure' science, one is struck by their great similarity. In both cases we witness examples of rhetorical statements about incompetence, conflicting interpretations of data, and interdisciplinary communication problems. Noting this similarity, this thesis attempts to answer the question, 'Is there a similarity of cause: do the same causes lie at the roots of conflict in policy-relevant and policy-irrelevant science?' In answering this question this thesis examines recent controversies in a generally policy-irrelevant science - evolutionary biology. Three episodes of conflict are studied: the 'Neutral Allele Theory', 'Punctuated Equilibrium', and 'Structuralist versus Functionalist approaches to evolution'. These controversies are analysed
Earthey, Mark F.
Management studies
A Kuhnian crisis in neo-Darwinism. Policy issues which receive large inputs of scientific and technical information are frequently marred by acrimonious controversies between contributing experts. There are few if any examples of a public policy decision being based on a firm consensus of scientific and technical experts. Such a consensus is taken for granted by the 'Rational' model of decision making and its derivatives. Comparing the dynamics of conflict in policy-relevant issues with those of conflict in 'pure' science, one is struck by their great similarity. In both cases we witness examples of rhetorical statements about incompetence, conflicting interpretations of data, and interdisciplinary communication problems. Noting this similarity, this thesis attempts to answer the question, 'Is there a similarity of cause: do the same causes lie at the roots of conflict in policy-relevant and policy-irrelevant science?' In answering this question this thesis examines recent controversies in a generally policy-irrelevant science - evolutionary biology. Three episodes of conflict are studied: the 'Neutral Allele Theory', 'Punctuated Equilibrium', and 'Structuralist versus Functionalist approaches to evolution'. These controversies are analysed
crisis neo darwinism policy issue receive large input scientific technical information frequently controversy contribute expert example public_policy decision base firm consensus scientific technical expert consensus take granted rational model decision_make derivative comparing dynamic conflict policy relevant issue conflict pure science great similarity case witness examples rhetorical statement incompetence conflict interpretation data interdisciplinary communication problem similarity attempt_answer question similarity cause cause lie roots conflict policy relevant policy irrelevant science answer_question examines recent controversy generally policy irrelevant science evolutionary_biology episode conflict study neutral theory equilibrium structuralist versus functionalist approach evolution controversy analyse