Karen J. Winzoski, “Science, Industry & Arms Control: Preliminary Results.”
Draft Presented at ISA 2005, Honolulu, Hawaii
March 2005
Please do not cite without permission from the author
29
Haas, and alluded to above.
54
One could argue that all chemists who possess a BsC in
chemistry earned at a US university are taught the same physical laws and learn the same
experimental methodology, which they will use to test their hypotheses and theories.
Indeed, if they did not, how could chemists educated at different universities later work
together, or understand each other’s work? Thus, it is reasonable to assume that the
chemical science community possesses some shared causal beliefs, and shared notions of
validity, as any epistemic community ought.
55
Operating on the basis of specialized
knowledge is what distinguishes an epistemic community from a generalized interest
group or social movement. And it is this specialized knowledge and in particular these
shared notions of validity, which have directed the chemical science community to
undertake shared policy enterprises in regards to a number of issues related to chemical
weapons and arms control.
The first of the issues on the chemical science community has sought to influence
policy based on its specialized knowledge was the issue of dioxin-contaminated Agent
Orange. Though their position earned them no friends among veterans, the chemical
science community demonstrated that the evidence supporting claims that exposure to
contaminated dioxin was inconclusive, and attempted to quell the public’s sensationalized
fears about dioxin.
56
54
See page 7.
55
This does not mean that chemists agree about every issue; not all theories point to clear outcomes, and
some evidence may be interpreted in several ways.
56
“Agent Orange: More Data Help Define Dioxin Danger,” Chemical & Engineering News, (11 July
1983): 4; Benjamin J. Luberoff, “Help us Spread the Whole Truth About Dioxin,” Chemtech, (January
1984): 1-3; Ralph R. Cook & Janice B. Cartmill, “Dioxin: Comparing Apples and Oranges,” Chemtech,
(September 1984): 534-537; “Groups Dispute Study of Agent Orange Victims,” Chemical & Engineering
News, (7 September 1987): 8; “Agencies Handling of Agent Orange Studies Hit,” Chemical & Engineering
News, (21 September 1987): 8; David Hanson, “New Reports Find Little Effect by Agent Orange on
Veterans,” Chemical & Engineering News, (15 April 1991): 12-13.
Convention