Sustainability and the scientist's burden

被引:111
作者
Lele, S
Norgaard, RB
机构
[1] PACIFIC INST STUDIES DEV ENVIRONM & SECUR,OAKLAND,CA 94612
[2] UNIV CALIF BERKELEY,ENERGY & RESOURCES GRP,BERKELEY,CA 94720
关键词
D O I
10.1046/j.1523-1739.1996.10020354.x
中图分类号
X176 [生物多样性保护];
学科分类号
090705 ;
摘要
Natural scientists are being encouraged by environmental and developmental agencies to define and operationalize the concept of sustainability in a ''scientific'' manner. Such an approach is fraught with dangers because values, opinions, and social influences are an inextricable part of science, especially applied science. Natural scientists' attempts to define sustainability, particularly to decide what should be sustained, cannot therefore be value-neutral. They simply end up shifting value judgments to different levels by choosing either a single obvious objective, an arbitrary range of objectives, or an arbitrary method of aggregating different preferences. This lack of self-reflectiveness on the part of scientists has important consequences for the direction of research and its political implications. Natural scientists should heed lessons from earlier cases of scientists' involvement in policy and redefine the terms of reference before shouldering their social burden. The dilemma of pursuing objective science in a value-loaded and socially charged discourse can be resolved by properly understanding the role of analysis and by pursuing a socially grounded pluralistic approach to problem definition and research methodology.
引用
收藏
页码:354 / 365
页数:12
相关论文
共 65 条
[1]  
AGARWAL A, 1985, STATE INDIAS ENV 198, P362
[2]   MEASURES OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND INTEGRITY [J].
AMIR, S ;
HYMAN, J .
WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 1993, 27 (7-8) :481-488
[3]   BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY VERSUS BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AS POLICY DIRECTIVES - PROTECTING BIOTIC RESOURCES [J].
ANGERMEIER, PL ;
KARR, JR .
BIOSCIENCE, 1994, 44 (10) :690-697
[4]  
[Anonymous], TECHN PUBL POL CHANG
[5]  
[Anonymous], 1992, B SCI TECHNOL SOC, DOI DOI 10.1016/0925-8574(93)90006-2
[6]  
[Anonymous], MANAGING WORLDS FORE
[7]  
[Anonymous], 1991, ECOLOGY INT
[8]  
Arrow K., 1974, LIMITS ORG
[9]  
Blaug Mark., 1980, The Methodology of Economics
[10]   THE IDEOLOGY OF EFFICIENCY - SEARCHING FOR A THEORY OF POLICY ANALYSIS [J].
BROMLEY, DW .
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT, 1990, 19 (01) :86-107