Post-normal science

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/post-normal-science

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the conceptual founders?Silvio Funtowicz and Jerome Ravetz
2. What is the period of development?1990s
3. Why do scientists use post-normal science?Scientists use it because some problems, like climate change or pandemics, are too complex for normal science to give clear answers. Post-normal science helps make useful decisions even when we don't know everything.
4. How does post-normal science include more people?It brings together scientists, community members, policymakers, and others to share ideas and make knowledge stronger and more fair.

Post-normal science (PNS): A problem-solving strategy for issues characterized by high uncertainty, contested values, and urgent decisions.
Extended peer community: A network of stakeholders, affected parties, and experts contributing to knowledge assessment.
Normal science: The routine puzzle-solving activity within an established scientific paradigm, as described by Thomas Kuhn.