Inaugural Lecture: Heidi Grasswick

In Science We Trust! — Or Not?
Developing a situated account of responsible trust in scientific experts

From claims of climate change, to the safety of vaccines, to genetic research on particular populations, to sex differences research, scientists are often confused and surprised when their work is met with distrust from members of the public. Though many instances of distrust in science lack warrant, failures in the trustworthiness of scientific communities can at times justify such distrust. I use the resources of a philosophical account of situated knowing to understand the ways in which the trustworthiness of scientific communities can vary across social locations due to particular histories of engagement. I investigate the conditions required for the trustworthiness of scientific communities, given that they occupy a dual role as both generators and communicators of knowledge, and I consider how a responsible trust might be exercised by laypersons, who must depend on scientific communities for expert knowledge.