AU$15.00

ISBN: 0-195-04211-5

Publisher: Oxford University Press, New York - 1985

Synopsis: This perceptive study analyzes the influence of technical progress on social thought and public policy. The author examines recent changes in the milieu of science: new ethical challenges; problems in taking social attitudes, values and ethics into account; the role of the public in addressing technical issues; and the resolution of conflicts between laymen and experts. Among the provocative cases that the author reviews are the controversies surrounding sociobiology, recombinant DNA research, medical and behavioral experimentation, nuclear reactor risks, and the medical-legal definitions of life and death. The author draws upon a wide range of authorities from Bertrand Russell to Jacob Bronowski and Robert Oppenheimer, in addressing crucial questions such as: How should scientific freedom be balanced against societal constraints? Should research be curtailed because of its potential harm?

Condition: Very light shelf wear on the exterior of the hardcover; Ex-Library book with usual stamps and stickers; Pages are clean, unmarked and in excellent condition;