Science as Public Sphere?

Abstract

In this paper we argue that the best way to explain the normative framework of science is to adopt a model inspired in the democratic characterization of a public sphere. This model assumes and develops some deliberative democratic principles about the inclusiveness of the concerned, the parity of the reasons and the general interest of the subjects. In contrast to both bargaining models and to power‐inspired models of the scientific activities, the model of scientific public sphere proposes to account for the self‐legislative capacity of science, the public nature of the scientific results and the epistemic virtues of scientific research in terms of the deliberative process carried out by individuals who are engaging in the public use of reason. This perspective provides new insights into the normative conditions of a democratic science.

Keywords:

• Science
• Democracy
• Public Sphere
• Deliberation
• Negotiation

Acknowledgements

This paper was presented at the “5th Winter Workshop on Economics and Philosophy (2005). Science, Democracy, and Economics”, held in Madrid, Spain, in April 2005. We thank the participants of the workshop for their comments and criticism. We are especially grateful to Fernando Broncano for reading and making insightful suggestions on an earlier draft of our paper. We are also indebted to an anonymous referee for helpful remarks which allowed us to improve our text.

This paper would not be written without the support of the Spanish Science and Technology Office, which funded the research project “The Epistemic Social Contract as a Model of Reflective Equilibrium in the Scientific Community” (BFF2003–04372 2003–6). Francisco Javier Gil Martín also wishes to acknowledge the support of a postdoctoral grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science for the research project “The Normative Status of the Public Space of Reason” at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL, USA).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jesús Vega Encabo

Jesús Vega Encabo is Associate Professor in the Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain. He has published several papers in epistemology and philosophy of science and technology. In epistemology, his research topics concern the philosophical analysis of know‐how and experience. In philosophy of science and technology, he is interested in the analysis of scientific practices and the place of science in democracies.

F. Javier Gil Martín

Francisco Javier Gil Martín was Professor of Sociology of Communication and Sociology of Public Opinion at the University of Salamanca, Spain. He is currently Professor of Ethics and Political Theory at the University of Oviedo, Spain.