THE SPECIFICITY OF CITIZEN SCIENCE: ON THE CHANGING STATUS OF SCIENCE IN MODERN SOCIETY
Evgeniy Valerievich Maslanov
Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Keywords: science, citizen science, post-normal science, Mode 2.0 science, science as a boundary object, science and society
Abstract
The article examines the phenomenon of citizen science and its role in transforming the status of scientific knowledge in modern society. The author notes that science has evolved from a disinterested search for truth to a socially significant institution engaging non-professionals. By analyzing T. Kuhn’s concept of normal science, and also concepts of post-normal science and Mode 2.0 science, the study demonstrates that citizen science can manifest in several forms. It often serves as an auxiliary tool for professional scientists, yet civil researchers may also exhibit considerable autonomy within various activist projects. The article also notes that denialism can be considered a form of citizen science skeptical of the scientific community. All this indicates that, in an era of interdisciplinarity and social engagement, science is becoming a boundary object requiring new forms of dialogue between scientists and society.
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