Preliminary communication
SCIENCE, ORGANIZATION, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL PROGRESS
Božo Milošević
; Sociology Department, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Abstract
Modern technique and technology are both undoubtedly a product of cumulative scientific development. However, when scientific and technical-technological development is examined and explained in relation to social progress, there is misunderstanding in approach to the connection. In the core of the misunderstanding is the essential notion of the connection; some see it as scientific-technical or scientific-technological revolution, and the other see it as the process of “scientification”. There are widespread views in modern science that see social progress as rectilinear advancement under the exclusive influence of science and its technical-technological application in the work processes and social organization. For that seemingly universal influence of science and technique on social processes and social development, many scientists have “found” a convenient syntagm – “scientific-technological/scientific-technical revolution”. Such a syntagm have been, almost unquestionably, used in the meaning of basic characteristic of modern societies in “implicit” cognitive (and especially non-cognitive) contexts, since 1960s. Although less widespread, there are notable attempts in the contemporary science (particularly in sociology) to have more contentual (and more realistic) view of relation between science and technique/technology, and that approach is named as a process of “scientification”. It is understood not as “revolutionary overturn” but as more or less contradictory, continuous and cumulative process of the inclusion of science in the production, implying pervasion of work factors (objects, means, organization and work-professional skills of employees) , as well as pervasion of broader social practices and objective-rational ways of its orientation. In that way “scientification” approach to the study of relationship between science, technique/technology and society is recognized as critical evaluation of concepts of “scientific-technological/scientific-technical revolution”. Every criticism is challenge by itself, and immanent scientific criticism can be effective in elimination of misapprehensions, as well as in strengthening of inter-scientific dialog.
Keywords
science; technique; technology; scientific-technological revolution; »scientification«; social progress
Hrčak ID:
122444
URI
Publication date:
30.3.2014.
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