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- Title
Prekäre Balance: Ingenieurwissenschaft zwischen Innovations- und Reflexionskulturen.
- Authors
Böschen, Stefan
- Abstract
Sustainable development is a great challenge for both research and education in engineering sciences. It requires not only that a specific technology meets specific functional needs, but also that the technology is developed under democratic decision processes. I therefore argue that we need to reflect on the specific structure of the epistemic culture of engineering sciences. Engineering sciences are characterized by a constellation of so-called innovation cultures and reflexive cultures. Innovation cultures are formed around an important scientific-technical principle, like electronics or the transformation of chemical substances. Reflexive cultures analyze the specific structure of technological environments in order to avoid risks related to a specific technology. I elaborate on the innate tension between innovation cultures and reflexive cultures, using synthetic chemistry and synthetic biology as main examples. I conclude that technical education has to 1. become more aware of the epistemic structure of engineering sciences, and 2. address the specific socio-political processes of embedding technology in society, thus promoting democratic decisions on innovations and their risks.
- Subjects
SUSTAINABLE development; ENGINEERING &; the environment; ENVIRONMENTAL policy laws; INDUSTRY &; the environment; TECHNOLOGICAL innovations &; the environment; CURRICULUM; TECHNICAL education; EDUCATIONAL resources; EDUCATIONAL innovations; SYNTHETIC biology
- Publication
GAIA: Ecological Perspectives for Science & Society, 2010, Vol 19, Issue 1, p52
- ISSN
0940-5550
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.14512/gaia.19.1.11