Abstract
How does intimate knowledge of technologies affect confidence in them? One might expect that those closest to these technologies would have the highest confidence in them, and those ignorant of them would be fearful. This expectation, however, turns out to be an oversimplification. The relationship between proximity and confidence is not a simple linear one, and several pieces of research suggest the more complicated pattern shown schematically in figure one.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Bibliography
BATE, R. (1994) ‘Climate Con’, Chemistry and Industry, 4 April, p. 280.
COLLINS, H. and PINCH, T. (1993) The Golem: What Everyone Should Know about Science (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press).
COLLINS, H. (1987) ‘Certainty and the Public Understanding of Science: Science on Television’, Social Studies of Science, Vol. 17 (1987) pp. 689–713.
DOUGLAS, M. and WILDAVSKY, A. (1982) Risk and Culture: An Essay on Selection of Technological and Environmental Dangers (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press).
GRINT, K. and WOOLGAR, S. (1997) The Machine at Work: Technology, Work and Organization (Oxford: Polity).
FERNAU, M. E., MAKOFSKE, W. J. and SOUTH, D. W. (1993) ‘Review and Impacts of Climate Change Uncertainties’, Futures, 25, pp. 850–63.
MACKENZIE, D. (1990) Inventing Accuracy: A Historical Sociology of Nuclear Missile Guidance (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press).
MACKENZIE, D. (1994) ‘Computer-Related Accidental Death: An Empirical Exploration’, Science and Public Policy, Vol. 21, pp. 233–48.
Editor information
Copyright information
© 1998 Donald MacKenzie
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
MacKenzie, D. (1998). The Certainty Trough. In: Williams, R., Faulkner, W., Fleck, J. (eds) Exploring Expertise. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-13693-3_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-13693-3_15
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-13695-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-13693-3
eBook Packages: Palgrave Business & Management CollectionBusiness and Management (R0)