Science communication and the public intellectual: a view from philosophy

Abstract

While science communication has become increasingly professionalised, philosophers have been far less active in, and reflective about, how we talk to the public. In thinking about the relationship between the ‘public intellectual’ and science communication, however, philosophy has some important contributions to make, despite the differences of content and disciplinary approach. What, then, can both these professions learn from each other about how to engage with the public - and the risks that this might involve?

Public engagement with science—Origins, motives and impact in academic literature and science policy

“…Defining engagement in terms of the nature of the relationship between science and the public. Since the early 2000s, descriptions of the nature of science engagement have an explicit focus on its dialogic (or interactive) character that involves multiple stakeholders [69] with an information current that flows both ways between scientists and the public [70]. Riesch, Potter and Davies note that "conceptions of public engagement have shifted over the years as research on public understanding of science has moved through its various paradigm shifts from deficit to dialogue to upstream engagement and 'third mode' engagement and finally attempts to reconcile them" [71, p. 2].…”