由台灣近年來層出不窮的科技爭議做為出發點,本文企圖說明三個相互支持的論點。 第一、科技與社會的關係已發生重大的變革,兩者正向傳統的隔絕體制與文化價值中譯放出來,發展出深刻的相互穿透,從而與過去兩百年的歷史形成一個深遠的斷裂。本文將指出一系列的結構性改變,包括國家、大學與產業間的三螺旋鍊(Triple-Helix)的興起,新的知識生產模式,「模式二」(Mode 2)的誕生,科學知識的商品化,科學實作與其知識論的轉化,以初步描繪這個逐步形成的斷裂與新關係。 第二、我們需要發展出新的思考架構以瞭解科技與社會的新關係,而不當將初生的新關係視為舊規範下的異常與病態。最重要的是,我們不能繼續將傳統「外在因素」的介入科技事務視為暫時性的「例外」「墮落」「醜聞」或「病態」,而期待它們會自行消失,而我們終將返回純淨無暇、客觀獨立的科技世界。相反地,這幾組結構性力量的匯聚,將高度壓縮科技在已往所享有的(相對獨立的)非政治空間,從而要求我們在政治上、重新構想科技、民主政治、和社會之新可能。 第三、在科技與社會的新關係之下,過去賴以將科技「去政治化」的體制、價值、與策略都將面臨巨大的挑戰,是以將引發一波「科技民主化」的問題與討論。更確切一點地說,是科技內的民主(Democracy within Science)的議題。為了因應這個新議題,本文最後為三個群體-科學社群、科技公民社會、STS研究者(含人文社會學者)-來初步描繪在創造一個「民主化的科技」中,他們所面臨的挑戰、機會、以及當下可以從事的實驗。
Starting from the rise of techno-scientific controversies in Taiwan, this essay intends to make three interrelated arguments. First, the relationship between techno-science and society has been going through a profound transformation in the recent decade. Due to the conjunction of a series of social forces, the institutional relationship between them will depart substantially from the insulationist model. Second, in light of this recent development, scholars need to develop a new framework in order to properly understand the scope and the implication of this emerging phenomenon. As techno-science is no longer perceived to be insulated from the society, techno-science will lose its status as a normative authority beyond politics and society. Third, as the result, we need to reconsider the relationship between Techno-science, democracy and society. To help bring out a democratic science, this essay concludes by suggesting a set of experimental conceptions and practices to three relevant groups of people: scientific community, civil-technical group, and the STS scholarly community.