Science and nuclear energy

The focal point of this consideration is not the social, political and economic problem of the nuclear energy controversy, but questions about in what function and what role science is concerned in this conflict. The work consists of two distinctly separated parts: the first part serves to clarify the question what possibilities a study from the view of sociology of science can be opened up or eliminated by certain approaches. The second part is an investigation whether the nuclear controversy is also a scientific controversy and whether the opinions of those who support it and those who oppose it are at variance on this. This is discussed in detail on the example of risk analyses and safety studies. - The author draws critical conclusions from the safety aspects, the quantitative risk estimates, the disagreements among the Nuclear Scientific Community on risk analyses, the concentration of intellectual and financial resources on the research target nuclear energy, the mutual interweaving of state and nuclear research. (HSCH)