Knowledge Without Expertise: On the Status of Scientists (S.U.N.Y. Series in Science, Technology, and Sociology)

This book critically examines the reliance of society on experts, specifically attacking the notion of the privilege of scientific expertise and defining the politics of this intellectual discourse. The extensive case material illustrates the consequences of claims of expert knowledge. Sassower questions the perception that scientific controversies are focused on epistemological concerns and demonstrates how the debates are often politically motivated. He proposes pedagogical models that would enhance the critical tools of the public--of citizens who must continuously scrutinize the positions of experts and their knowledge claims.

"We are often treated to the mystical and romantic vision of the natural sciences. Sassower's book brings science down to earth by showing its institutional and ideological roots." -- Stanley Aronowitz, CUNY Graduate Center