Democracy poses problems for science and technology because it leads to potential conflicts between two strong sets of ethical values. Democracy prizes the ethics of inclusiveness and political equality. Within a democratic system all citizens have an equal say in collective decisions. The fields of science and technology embrace the ethics of autonomy and respect for scientifically established findings, regardless of how other citizens receive or are affected by those findings. Scholars and practitioners have proposed a variety of processes and institutions in an attempt to resolve these conflicts.

Historical Development

Over the centuries philosophers have developed various conceptions about the nature of democracy. These different versions of democracy pose distinct conflicts among ethical values linked to science and technology, as well as suggest different solutions to those problems.

The classic form of democracy or rule by the people is generally taken from Athens in the fifth century...