Post-Truth: Implications for science, policy makers and society

Prof. Ortwin Renn, Scientific Director at Institut für Transformative Nachhaltigkeitsforschung (IASS) in Potsdam,

Jentschke Lecture 2021
In an era of post-truth claims and fake news scientific input to public discourse and collective decision-making seems to be more required than ever. However, the nature of what science can and should offer to the decision makers has been under severe scrutiny by science philosophers and sociologists of knowledge. Is scientific knowledge neutral and impartial to the various interests that like to use scientific insights for legitimizing their positions?

How universal is scientific knowledge and how much is it dependent on context and situational conditions and constraints? These questions are particularly pertinent for complex challenges such as climate change and loss of biodiversity. The lecture will provide an analysis of how science, policymaking and society deal with these issues in the presence of fake news and post-truth claims.