Uncertainty
Uncertainty by Sheila Jasanoff, published by MIT Press on January 18, 2022, is a thought-provoking exploration of the role uncertainty plays in both our emotional and political lives. This 160-page work delves into how uncertainty permeates various aspects of society, from climate change to public health crises, highlighting its significance in democratic governance. Jasanoff examines the paradox of individual autonomy within democracy, where personal power is often countered by the unpredictable actions of others.
Readers will find a comprehensive discussion that opens a forum on the interplay between uncertainty and democracy, addressing the implications for autonomy, freedom, and individual agency, particularly in the United States. The book invites reflection on the transformative potential of recognizing our dependence on others, while also engaging with the scientific, philosophical, and emotional dimensions of uncertainty. This edition provides a nuanced perspective on the complexities of democratic life and the inherent uncertainties that shape our experiences.
Official synopsis Publisher
A wide-raging exploration of the place of uncertainty in our emotional and political lives.
From climate change to the pandemic, uncertainty looms large over our public and personal lives. It is also the core feature of democratic life: while democratic governance seemingly heightens individual power, it exposes our life chances to the uncertain activity of others. We do not exercise control over those to whom we appeal, and yet we are constantly dependent on their actions for the goods in life we seek.
Sheila Jasanoff opens a forum on uncertainty and democracy in this volume, arguing that ideas around our autonomy, our freedom, and our individual agency, particularly in the US, obscure our dependence on others in so many ways. To recognize this political emotion is to start to see the transformative potential in uncertainty.
The debate that follows explores the ideas about uncertainty and experts in a democracy, as well its scientific, philosophic, and emotional aspects.
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