Author: Weinberg, Alvin M.

Source: Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, Volume 2, Number 4, December 1977 , pp. 337-342(6)

Publisher: Maney Publishing

Abstract:

Many different limits to science have been identified, the most common being those between science and religion, or more generally between fact and value; between science and art; as well as the sociological limits imposed on science because it is becoming too large and unwieldy to be encompassed by a single mind. Here another realm is explored, lying beyond science: we call trans-science those questions which epistemologically are matters of fact, yet are beyond the proficiency of science. Trans-scientific questions consist of very rare occurrences and 'catastrophes' in the Thomian sense. It has been pointed out that unanswerable, trans-scientific questions are usually asked of science by policy makers. Consequently the scientist must concede that his proficiency is limited by this trans-scientific limit to science.

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/030801877789801878

Affiliations: Director, Institute for Energy Analysis, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

Publication date: 1977-12-01

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