Reflection Task 1. The Medawar Lecture ‘Is Science Dangerous?

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Module 1 Section 1. Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society

Name: __________________________
Course/Section: __________________ Date Submitted: ______________________
Instructions: After reading Lewis Wolpert’s The Medawar Lecture 1998 ‘Is Science Dangerous?’,
reflect and answer the following questions.
1. Obligatory Question – What did Lewis Wolpert mean when he stated that ‘reliable scientific
knowledge is value-free and has no moral or ethical value’ (p. 1254)?
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2. Free-Choice Question (Choose one only. Encircle the letter of your choice before answering.)
a. Why is the conflation of science and technology a serious problem according to Wolpert?
b. How is the social responsibility of scientists distinct from those of ordinary citizens? Cite
two specific situations where this distinction become apparent.
c. How is Eugenics a classic example of the perversion of scientific knowledge?

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3. Obligatory Question - Why is there a need to encourage ordinary citizens to learn more about
science?

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