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Exploring Scientists' Values by Analyzing How They Frame Nature and Uncertainty.

Marco Vazquez¹, Bronwyn McIlroy-Young¹, Daniel Steel¹

¹University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Risk Analysis : an Official Publication of the Society for Risk Analysis

|February 18, 2021

Summary

Scientific values influence environmental debates. Scientists’ views on nature and risk, revealed in publications, shape their stance on a wastewater treatment plant, even in technical controversies.

Keywords:

Cultural theory of risk framing uncertainty values in science wastewater

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Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Science and Technology Studies
Environmental Risk Assessment

Background:

Scientific controversies surrounding complex environmental issues are often prolonged, with embedded values potentially playing a key role.
A wastewater treatment plant debate in British Columbia, Canada, was framed technically, yet involved scientists with opposing public stances.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the connection between scientists' positions in an environmental controversy and their portrayal of nature and risks in publications.
To explore how underlying values influence scientific perspectives in seemingly technical debates.

Main Methods:

Qualitative content analysis of peer-reviewed publications.
Analysis focused on scientists with publicly opposing views on a wastewater treatment plant.
Examined the framing of nature and environmental risks within their scientific work.

Main Results:

Scientists opposing the treatment plant framed nature as tolerant of disturbances and risks, viewing science as a tool to reduce uncertainty.
Scientists favoring the treatment plant depicted nature as fragile, especially concerning human-induced risks, and highlighted the worrisome nature of scientific uncertainty.
Divergent portrayals of nature and risk were linked to scientists' stances on the wastewater treatment plant.

Conclusions:

Value-laden perspectives significantly impact scientists' positions, even in controversies presented as purely technical.
The study highlights how underlying beliefs about nature and uncertainty can shape scientific engagement in environmental policy debates.
Understanding these embedded values is crucial for resolving complex environmental controversies.