There seems to be a lot confusion in the replies here regarding what Audra is saying — which is an entirely uncontroversial statement within the academic disciplines that study how science works now and in the past (e.g., the History, Anthropology, & Sociology of Science).https://twitter.com/ColdWarScience/status/1017211382176059392 …
The first position is not compatible with a subtle idea of the interconnections between science and the rest of human activity. The second however is very compatible, and does not denigrate scientific knowledge much (it keeps it as a form of human knowledge, but a reliable one).
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For what it is worth, I think the second position is much more compatible with the study of the history of science than the first position: it allows more room for error, improvement, and evolution, without reducing the possibility of science being a means to reliable knowledge.
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Which is why I say that most of these things are not "really" postmodern in the way people tend to read them. There are perfectly respectable epistemic positions that do not require science to be "pure" to be useful and "true" in a qualified sense ("it fits our evidence so far").
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As for whether this approach is more actionable — I actually believe it is, and I say this as someone who is something of a science communicator and is, indeed, trying to engage in real world issues. But that's a longer Tweet-storm than I suspect anyone wants to read.
End of conversation
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Yup we agree and we use that standard to inform our work. The standard has got us into trouble tho with ppl who see science only as a backstop to their preconceived ideas and/or their political points of view.
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