Science, health, and human rights

Area of Science:

• Philosophy of Science
• Sociology of Science
• Bioethics

Background:

• Health as a human right necessitates a strong scientific knowledge base.
• Science, while crucial for health, has historically contributed to human rights violations.
• Social Studies of Science (STS) provides critical perspectives on scientific authority.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how the critical stance of STS can be reconciled with defending sound scientific knowledge in health.
• To examine the limitations of traditional STS approaches in addressing contemporary challenges to scientific developments.
• To define proper scientific knowledge within the context of health and human rights, avoiding scientism.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of the Social Studies of Science (STS) framework.
• Exploration of historical and contemporary examples of science impacting human rights.
• Philosophical examination of the relationship between scientific criticism and the defense of scientific knowledge.

Main Results:

• STS's critical approach can be adapted to defend legitimate scientific advancements, particularly in health.
• A nuanced STS perspective can help delineate valid scientific knowledge from unsubstantiated claims.
• The study identifies potential pitfalls of scientism and advocates for a balanced approach.

Conclusions:

• STS can be a valuable tool for safeguarding health knowledge by critically evaluating scientific claims.
• Reconciling STS criticism with the defense of science is crucial for upholding health as a human right.
• A balanced approach, informed by STS, is necessary to prevent both the misuse of science and undue skepticism.