experts and policy

Question 1

david nutt

Answer 1

head of UK Expert on misuse of drugs; sacked for ‘overstepping boundaries’ by saying horseriding more dangerous than exctasy
responded by saying ‘thats what experts do’ and ‘speaking the truth’

Question 2

cyperchondria

Answer 2

using web m d for self diagnosis; undermines doctors

Question 3

george bush

Answer 3

1990; experts are the ‘frontiers of knowledge’ who we go to for ‘straightforward advice’

Question 4

donald trump

Answer 4

‘experts are terrible’; claming political authoirty and populism
- misprediction of hilary winning (2016 election; hilary had 71.4% of winning)

Question 5

brexit

Answer 5

isnt about who knows best; but about whos in control

• misprediction
• 90% ‘remain’ was predicted

Question 6

2016 survey on experts trust

Answer 6

+20ppt increase since 1997 in scientists to tell the trust

Question 7

elites survey results

Answer 7

69% say experts ‘dont understand my life’

Question 8

tony blair

Answer 8

‘science told to truth to powe rin government’

Question 9

humes guillotine

Answer 9

david hume 1739; values seperate from facts;

‘just because you know something doesnt mean you have right ot do something’

Question 10

honest broker

Answer 10

roger pielke; roles of experts
in high value and low uncertainity:
1. pure scientists (no policy connection)
2. science arbiter (policy connection)

in high value high uncertainity:

1. issue advocate (if narrow range of options)
2. honest broker (if medium/large range of options)

Question 11

stealth issue advocacy

Answer 11

advocating own issues under guise of pure scientists

Question 12

naomi klein and climate science

Answer 12

climate scientists are too prescriptive; shouldnt advvocate for policy only give facts

Question 13

tornado and aboriton politics

Answer 13

tornado; experts give advice and people agree

abortion; there is value disagreement not science disagreement e.g. climate change

Question 14

GMO crops

Answer 14

rothanmsted team vs hertforshire gmo community;
1. experts justification on risk of ‘world poverty/hunger’ and 70% food shortages by 2050

2. ## community concerns of crops escaping into wild/contaminiation

Question 15

shiela jassanoff

Answer 15

1990 the fifth branch; scientsits consult instititions

• science credibiltiy damaged by fraud/misconduct
• actual behaviour of experts in public
• uncertainity allows for manipulation of policy
• expertice and trust; fear of experst making politican decisions
• training/specialization makes them insnentive to value judgement/public view
• you cant seperate facts from values

Question 16

technocractic value

Answer 16

• belief experts should make deicisions as they know best

not all values are incorporated

Question 17

don price

Answer 17

policymaking different than research science

Question 18

martin rees 2010 royal society

Answer 18

just because youre a scientist, doesnt make your more knowledable than a man on the street

Question 19

perspectives on ROLE of experts

Answer 19

1. science depolictizes debates by facts and exclusion of value
2. facts + value relationship is complex; just facts is not enough; values in uncertain conditions

Question 20

technologies of humility

Answer 20

sheil jasanoff; uncertainity is a disease; uncertainity never goes away desptite how much ‘facts’ science tries to throw at it

Question 21

mad cow disease

Answer 21

UK; uncertain condition

• politicians try to reassure public trust (head of meat and lviestock commission feeds daguther burger on stage)
• scientists however were uncertain, but didnt have evidnece of risk
• 1996; turns ou MCD is trnasmissable to humans; 177 deaths
• governments have to admit mistake

Question 22

2000 phillips inquiry

Answer 22

trust only generated by oppness and transaprecy/recognigion of uncertainity