The Nature of Science-Based Controversies

The Nature of Science-based Controversies. The following points will be presented: 1. Political and epistemological reasons for studying science-based controversies. 2. Controversies as conflicts between rival professional groups and incommensurable systems of ideas. 3. Results and discoveries emanating from case studies of science-based controversies: four examples. 4. Towards a theory of science-based controversies. 5. Relations between science-based controversies and knowledge politics