Review of the book Czyje lęki? Czyja nauka? Struktury wiedzy wobec kontrowersji naukowo-społecznych [Whose fears? Whose science? Knowledge structures in the face of scientific and social controversies] by Andrzej W. Nowak, Krzysztof Abriszewski, Michał Wróblewski, Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM, Poznań 2016

Abstract

The publication Whose fears? Whose science? Knowledge structures in the face of scientific and social controversies was written by three Polish authors: Andrzej Wojciech Nowak, Krzysztof Abriszewski and Michał Wróblewski. It draws attention to the problem of misrepresenting scientific practice to the public. The unrealistic portrayal of science as a field for “geniuses” causes several problems, such as scientific controversies, the public disputing between scientific and non-scientific theories, less interest in science among young people, and less funding for scientific disciplines, which badly affects the coordinated development of other spheres of the state. The authors appeal to the premises of the STS study and claim that we should treat science as an “open practice”. The key aspect of the book is the authors’ modification of Bruno Latour’s circulatory system of science. On this example authors explain the creation of the described problem and provide a successful proposal for its solution.