Science and Social Inequality：Feminist and Postcolonial Issues

In"MustScienceAdvanceInequality?",SandraHardingmakestheprovocativeargumentthatthephilosophyandpracticesoftoday'sWesternscience,contrarytoitsenlightenmentmission,worktoinsurethatmoresciencewillonlyworsenexistinggapsbetweenthebestandworstoffaroundtheworld.ShedefendsthisclaimbyexposingthewaysthathierarchicalsocialformationsinmodernWesternsciencesencodeantidemocraticprinciplesandpractices,particularlyintermsoftheirservicestomilitarism,theimpoverishmentandalienationoflabour,Westernexpansion,andenvironmentaldestruction.Theessaysinthiscollection-drawingonfeminist,multicultural,andpostcolonialstudies-proposewaystore-conceptualizethesciencesintheglobalsocialorder.Atissueherearenotonlysocialjusticeandenvironmentalissuesbutalsotheaccuracyandcomprehensivenessofourunderstandingsofnaturalandsocialworlds.Theinadvertentcomplicityofthescienceswithantidemocraticprojectsobscuresnaturalandsocialrealitiesandthusblocksthegrowthofscientificknowledge.Scientists,policymakers,socialjusticemovementsandtheconsumersofscientificproducts(thatis,therestofus)canworktogetherandseparatelytoimprovethissituation.