How Post Normal views of science have contributed to a model of communication about biotechnology

The political debate on genetic engineering in New Zealand during 2001-02 provided a focus for the development of a model for communication about biotechnology. Ravetz's challenge to develop a pedagogy to explore a Post Normal view of science was taken up by this author when she developed strategies for biology teachers to examine biotechnological processes and products from a Post Normal science viewpoint. This view of system uncertainties strongly influenced the inclusion of risk as an element that affected a person's 'view' of biotechnology within this communication model. Further development of this problem-solving spectrum of Post Normal science is possible if biotechnology is analysed from a technological epistemological perspective where a biotechnological outcome can be judged according to its fitness for purpose. If this occurs there are opportunities for biotechnology to be characterised as an example of Post Normal science from a scientific as well as an technological epistemology. Such analysis could provide opportunity for such an integrative perspective to be proposed and characterised. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.