Metascientific problems in safety science
Abstract
This paper is an introduction to a workshop on safety science and the theory of science. The paper examines a study of helicopter safety in order to identify some of the metascientific problems in safety science. It then considers the nature of safety science in more general terms. Finally, it argues that a considerable part of safety science cannot be expected to conform to orthodox falsified criteria of science. This leads to the conclusion that safety scientists should take the responsibility of proposing and justifying norms for empirical and theoretical work in the area.
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- December 1993
- Bibcode:
- 1993STIN...9530521R
- Keywords:
-
- Accident Prevention;
- Research;
- Safety Factors;
- Safety Management;
- Comparison;
- Flight Safety;
- Helicopters;
- Leadership;
- Scientists;
- Engineering (General)