Post-Normal Science And Its Social Governance

For many years,science has been demonstrating a distinctive feature as being"normal",however,"science" has always evolved,it has entered the "post-normal age"after winning the era of optimism.The scientific activities(especially those emphasizing technology "innovation")and its consequences show some new characteristics,such as uncertainty of facts,values in dispute,stakes being high and decisions being urgent.In one word,the term "post-normal" symbolizes the end and replacement of the "puzzle-solving and disputes-ignoring" process with a concern of controversies over scientific issues.Most importantly,the range of controversies have gone beyond the "cognitive controversy"(a controversy over knowledge),and presented the complex problem situation of "social controversy"(a controversy over nonscientific issues),Such as "Who pays for the scientists’ ’puzzle-solving’?" "Who is interested in it?" or "Who is the one to acknowledge and accept the related risk?"It is obvious that these problems crossed the border line of "autonomy" of traditional science and touched the relationship between scientific system and life-world.Thus how to cope with the social controversies over Science(Technology)and dissolve the "wicked" policy problem has become the new challenge facing the scientific practice of the post-normal age.Since it is proven that conventional practice and the mechanism of peer review based on Kuhn’s "normal science" fail to deal with the new problems.And the attempt to terminate disputes through experts’"government" ends up increasing social risks.As a result,a new mechanism is needed.As a strategy to deal with risks and policy issues,"post-normal science" puts forward the methodology of "extended peer communities" and "extended facts".Thus,we can envisage the issue of democratization of science.The concept of "post-normal science" also means a change in the epistemology of Science:knowledge should not be the monologue of some elite and technical experts of the "internal" community;effectiveness of knowledge and legitimacy of scientific decision-making should be based on others’ recognition and acceptance and take into consideration many"external" and heterogeneity factors.This leads us to the issue of "science and governance.Through the study on "post-normar" common issues as "climate science" and"biobank",we found that in the process of governance,the subject of governance are expanded from the "inside" to the "outside",including many stakeholders;meanwhile the dependence of experts and authorities in measure-taking process has been shifted to the consideration and acceptance of the "local knowledge",and other factors as interests,morality and values.In view of this,we believe that there is inherent practical logic and consistency between science and social governance in the post-normal age.Social governance of science will also be a possible mechanism to resolve the social controversy about science and technology.Starting from issues like "trust crisis of experts" and "remodeling norm of science",we re-examine issues as "knowledge and power","the experts and the public,and "freedom and responsibility";and then reconstruct the understanding of the essence of science and its practice.In a word,in the "post-normal age",the interaction between science and society has been closely related.Science has become a public undertaking involving government,industry and citizens.Based on the evolution of science,this paper aims to enrich and enhance the connotation and value of the concept of "post-normal science",and to interpret and defend the way of social governance of science through discussing related issues.However,we also realize that this "post-normal" view of science does not mean a"good science",but it is undeniable that this is exactly what is happening in science.