"Not everyone agrees that professionals - including academic philosophers - need to be actively engaged in this fashion. So another theme throughout is an argument against non-engaged philosophers, non-engaged scientists, and other non-engaged professionals." "The social problems of a technological society are manifest. The book attempts to show, in a scholarly way, how they might be addressed effectively."--Jacket.
Highlighting the most important topics, issues, questions and debates, these two volumes offer full coverage of major subthemes and subfields within the discipline of anthropology.
Ideas, Machines, and Values is an introductory overview of the emergence of STS as a field of study, as well as a portrait of its current interests and concerns. The book examines the growth of STS from its birth inthe mid-1960's through its development as an interdisciplinary field to its present state. Also addressed are the questions 'Why should we study STS?' and 'In what direction should STS be headed?' This work is highly recommended for anyone interested in building a solid foundation for Science, Technology, and Society Studies.
Science is a way of knowing about the world. At once a process, a product, and an institution, science enables people to both engage in the construction of new knowledge as well as use information to achieve desired ends. Access to scienceâ€"whether using knowledge or creating itâ€"necessitates some level of familiarity with the enterprise and practice of science: we refer to this as science literacy. Science literacy is desirable not only for individuals, but also for the health and well- being of communities and society. More than just basic knowledge of science facts, contemporary definitions of science literacy have expanded to include understandings of scientific processes and practices, familiarity with how science and scientists work, a capacity to weigh and evaluate the products of science, and an ability to engage in civic decisions about the value of science. Although science literacy has traditionally been seen as the responsibility of individuals, individuals are nested within communities that are nested within societiesâ€"and, as a result, individual science literacy is limited or enhanced by the circumstances of that nesting. Science Literacy studies the role of science literacy in public support of science. This report synthesizes the available research literature on science literacy, makes recommendations on the need to improve the understanding of science and scientific research in the United States, and considers the relationship between scientific literacy and support for and use of science and research.
Innovation, in economic activity, in managerial concepts and in engineering design, results from creative activities, entrepreneurial strategies and the business climate. Innovation leads to technological, organizational and commercial changes, due to the relationships between enterprises, public institutions and civil society organizations. These innovation networks create new knowledge and contribute to the dissemination of new socio-economic and technological models, through new production and marketing methods. Innovation Economics, Engineering and Management Handbook 1 is the first of the two volumes that comprise this book. The main objectives across both volumes are to study the innovation processes in todays information and knowledge society; to analyze how links between research and business have intensified; and to discuss the methods by which innovation emerges and is managed by firms, not only from a local perspective but also a global one. The studies presented in these two volumes contribute toward an understanding of the systemic nature of innovations and enable reflection on their potential applications, in order to think about the meaning of growth and prosperity.
The financial burden and the level of specialized care required to look after older adults with dementia has reached the point of a public health crisis. Older adults diagnosed and living with the disorder reached 35.6 million worldwide in 2010 and is expected to increase to 135.5 million in 2050, with costs soaring to $1.1 trillion. In the face of the increasing burden this disorder poses to health care systems and the management of this patient population, intelligent assistive technologies (IATs) represent a remarkable and promising strategy to meet the need of persons suffering from dementia. These technologies aim at helping individuals compensate for specific physical and cognitive deficits, and maintain a higher level of independence at home and in everyday activities. However, the rapid development and widespread implementation of these technologies are not without associated challenges at multiple levels. An international and multidisciplinary group of authors provide future-oriented and in-depth analysis of IATs. Part I delineates the current landscape of intelligent assistive technologies for dementia care and age-related disability from a global perspective, while the contributions in Part II analyze and address the major psycho-social implications linked to the development and clinical use of IATs. In the last section, essays examine the major ethical, social and regulatory issues associated with the use of IATs in dementia care. This volume provides an authoritative and comprehensive overview of how IATs are reshaping dementia care.
