From Enlightenment to Enablement: Opening Up Choices for Innovation

Andrew Stirling
Additional contact information
Andrew Stirling: University of Sussex

Chapter Chapter 2.9 in The Innovation for Development Report 2009–2010, 2010, pp 199-210 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract Since the Enlightenment, we have tended to think of scientific and technological progress as linear and cumulative. In the high-level debate over “the knowledge society,” this is still the way these crucial issues are treated in worldwide governance. Technology policy is routinely described as indiscriminately “pro-innovation” and its critics labelled generally “anti-technology.” Scope may be conceded for debates over risk, or the distribution of costs and benefits. But the main challenge is seen as a competitive race along a pre-ordained track. As a key feature of the “knowledge society” and a founding theme of the Enlightenment, it is a remarkable fact that this linear understanding is just plain wrong. This paper will explore some implications.

Keywords: Technological Progress; Carbon Capture; Precautionary Principle; Public Engagement; Knowledge Society (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-28547-7_10

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.palgrave.com/9780230285477

DOI: 10.1057/9780230285477_10

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Palgrave Macmillan Books from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().