Public Understanding of Science:A Philosophical Appraisal

In the present paper, following a conceptual discussion of the rich network of the meaning consisting of such terms as "public understanding of science", "public communication of science", "public education of science", I shall critically consider some of the arguments in defence of the notion of public understanding of science and the cluster of concepts closely related to it. The outcome of this assessment is that while these arguments vary in terms of their premises, internal coherence and degree of validity, together they provide a, by and large, satisfactory justification for the thesis of education of science to the public. In the following sections of the paper I shall critically consider the views of some of the main critics of modern science and technology and then would elaborate a number of ways in which the aim of disseminating scientific knowledge in society can be achieved more effectively. One of the upshots of the arguments of the paper is that there is a delicate relationship between the advancement of science and technology in a society and its political system. To wit, while examples of highly advanced technological environments can be seen in non-democratic systems, in the long run it is only within a democratic setup that the sustained, harmonious and effective growth of science and technology can be obtained.