Are We All Scientific Experts Now?

To ordinary people, science used to seem infallible. Scientists were heroes, selflessly pursuing knowledge for the common good. More recently, a series of scientific scandals, frauds and failures have led us to question science's pre-eminence. Revelations such as Climategate, or debates about the safety of the MMR vaccine, have dented our confidence in science.

In this provocative new book Harry Collins seeks to redeem scientific expertise, and reasserts science's special status. Despite the messy realities of day-to-day scientific endeavor, he emphasizes the superior moral qualities of science, dismissing the dubious "default" expertise displayed by many of those outside the scientific community. Science, he argues, should serve as an example to ordinary citizens of how to think and act, and not the other way round.

Auteur

Harry Collins is Distinguished Research Professor of Sociology and Director of the Centre for the Study of Knowledge, Expertise and Science (KES) at Cardiff University. He is a Fellow of the British Academy. He has written 17 previous books including the well-known Golem series on science. Harry Collins is continuing his research on the nature of scientific knowledge, on the analysis of expertise and on the sociology of gravitational wave detection.

Texte du rabat

A RESEARCH-BASED GUIDE TO DEBUNKING COMMONLY MISUNDERSTOOD MYTHS ABOUT ADOLESCENCE Great Myths of Adolescence contains the evidence-based science that debunks the myths and commonly held misconceptions concerning adolescence. The book explores myths related to sex, drugs and self-control, as well as many others. The authors define each myth, identify each myth's prevalence and present the latest and most significant research debunking the myth. The text is grounded in the authors' own research on the prevalence of belief in each myth, from the perspective of college students. Additionally, various pop culture icons that have helped propagate the myths are discussed. Written by noted experts, the book explores 50 common myths including: The teen brain is fully developed by 18; Greek life has a negative effect on college students academically; significant mood disruptions in adolescence are inevitable; the millennial generation is lazy; and much more. This important resource:

• Shatters commonly held and topical myths relating to gender, education, technology, sex, crime and more
• Based in empirical and up-to-date research including the authors' own
• Links each myth to icons of pop culture who/which have helped propagate them
• Discusses why myths are harmful and best practices related to the various topics
• A volume in the popular Great Myths of Psychology series Written for educators, parents, childhood studies and education studies students, and undergraduate students studying psychology modules in Adolescence and developmental psychology, Great Myths of Adolescence offers an important guide that debunks misconceptions about adolescence behavior. This book also pairs well with another book by two of the authors, Great Myths of Child Development.

Contenu
Figures and Tables page vi

Introduction: The Growing Crisis of Expertise 1

1 Academics and How the World Feels 17

2 Experts 49

3 Citizen Sceptics 80

4 Citizen Whistle-blowers 103

Conclusion: Are We All Experts Now? 115

Notes 133

Bibliography 138

Index 142