Resumo

Ignorance, Education And Propaganda: Keys To A Critique Of Scientific And Technological Culture. Rev. iberoam. cienc. tecnol. soc. [online]. 2017, vol.12, n.34, pp.111-132. ISSN 1850-0013.

This paper examines the controversy over the viability of transgenic foods, in an attempt to understand and not to resolve this issue. Initially, it describes how, in this context, social factors tend to be perceived in a negative manner, since they are often considered to be dirty, unclean and contaminating. Next, the assumptions and implications of the cognitive deficit model are presented, as this theoretical approach has been traditionally used in studies on public perception of science and technology. Afterwards, the growing presence of post-academic science is discussed, as well as how, in this new scenario, neo-liberalism may obstruct public research and democratic pluralism. Active and responsible citizens can try to be well informed, but this is an increasingly difficult task, given that certain social conflicts have become parallel conflicts between expert systems. Finally, it is suggested that the positivist perspective, which is the dominant perspective here, can be complemented by materialist and cultural perspectives. This allows us to clarify the objectives of the main groups involved in these controversies. In other words, it determines whether or not these groups attempt to educate the public in order to ensure that they are free, responsible and well informed, or if they actually wish to persuade them with cognitive propaganda so that they shall tolerate, approve and consume the respective services and artifacts

Palavras-chave : Scientific controversie; Scientific culture; Transgenic foods; Sociology of science and technology.

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