Abstract:
The political debate on genetic engineering in New Zealand during 2001–02 provided a focus for the development of a model for communication about biotechnology. Ravetz’s challenge to develop a pedagogy to explore a Post Normal view of science was taken up by this author when she developed strategies for biology teachers to examine biotechno- logical processes and products from a Post Normal science viewpoint. This view of system uncertainties strongly influenced the inclusion of risk as an element that affected a person’s‘view’of biotechnology within this communication model.Further development of this problem-solving spectrum of Post Normal science is possible if biotechnology is analysed from a technological epistemological perspective where a biotechnological outcome can be judged according to its fitness for purpose.If this occurs there are opportunities for biotechnology to be characterised as an example of Post Normal science from a scientific as well as a technological epistemology. Such analysis could provide opportunity for such an integrative perspective to be proposed and characterised.
