A Tapestry of Values: An Introduction to Values in Science

by Kevin C. Elliott

Overview

The role of values in scientific research has become an important topic of discussion in both scholarly and popular debates. Pundits across the political spectrum worry that research on topics like climate change, evolutionary theory, vaccine safety, and genetically modified foods has become overly politicized. At the same time, it is clear that values play an important role in science by limiting unethical forms of research and by deciding what areas of research have the greatest relevance for society. Deciding how to distinguish legitimate and illegitimate influences of values in scientific research is a matter of vital importance.
Recently, philosophers of science have written a great deal on this topic, but most of their work has been directed toward a scholarly audience. This book makes the contemporary philosophical literature on science and values accessible to a wide readership. It examines case studies from a variety of research areas, including climate science, anthropology, chemical risk assessment, ecology, neurobiology, biomedical research, and agriculture. These cases show that values have necessary roles to play in identifying research topics, choosing research questions, determining the aims of inquiry, responding to uncertainty, and deciding how to communicate information.
Kevin Elliott focuses not just on describing roles for values but also on determining when their influences are actually appropriate. He emphasizes several conditions for incorporating values in a legitimate fashion, and highlights multiple strategies for fostering engagement between stakeholders so that value influences can be subjected to careful and critical scrutiny.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190260811
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	02/01/2017
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Kevin C. Elliott is an Associate Professor in Lyman Briggs College, the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife, and the Department of Philosophy, Michigan State University. He is the author of Is a Little Pollution Good for You? Incorporating Societal Values in Environmental Research (Oxford University Press, 2011).

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements

Chapter One: An Introduction to Values in Science
Chapter Two: What Should We Study?
Chapter Three: How Should We Study It?
Chapter Four: What Are We Trying to Accomplish?
Chapter Five: What If We Are Uncertain?
Chapter Six: How Should We Talk about It?
Chapter Seven: How Can We Engage with These Values?
Chapter Eight: Conclusion: A Tapestry of Values

References

Editorial Reviews

"A Tapestry of Values: an introduction to values in Science is a must-have book for those who use or teach any aspect of science. Tapestry will help people learn to recognize the presence of values in science, and assess their impact and legitimacy. By doing so, we will be able to have a much richer and more meaningful and productive conversation about how science can help us to achieve better societies, and we will be able to carry out scientific practices more responsibly in pursuit of this aim." — Erin J. Nash, Science & Education

"If you care about our world and the role of science in its well-being, you must read this book. Science is never free of values, so all of us—scientists, scholars, informed citizens—need to learn to recognize their presence and assess their significance. Kevin Elliott is a patient guide who uses engaging case studies to help us unweave the tightly-knit tapestry of values in science in the interest of a better world." — Brendon Larson, Associate Professor, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo

"Kevin Elliott weaves a brilliant tapestry of the rich ways that values and science interact in both positive and negative ways. Extraordinarily clear, engaging, and accessible with many specific examples from a variety of disciplines!" — Kristen Intemann, Associate Professor, Montana State University

"Elliott's Tapestry of Values is a clear and incisive introduction to the role that values play in scientific research. Although the book is written for students taking courses in the history or philosophy of science, it also offers valuable insights for scholars and useful suggestions for researchers." — David Resnik, Bioethicist and IRB Chair, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health

"A Tapestry of Values explains lucidly, and through a lively series of real-world examples, why values are not the same as bias in scientific research. By showing how value judgments are an appropriate and necessary aspect of scientists' work, Elliott paves the way for a richer societal conversation about how science can further social, environmental, and economic progress." — Gwen Ottinger, Associate Professor, Department of Politics, Drexel University

"This is a clearly written, accessible, and engaging discussion of the role of values in science. It is an excellent introduction to the topic and would be very useful to anyone interested in the question of how values affect the practice of science." — Justin B. Biddle, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology

From the Publisher