China Social Science Review

No.3, 2021

Understanding Technological Governance in the Context of Practice

(Abstract)

Cheng Haidong and Chen Fan

Emphasis on the principle of scientific rationality has driven modern technological governance to the forefront of social governance. Such governance aims to improve the efficiency of social operation and enhance social welfare, while its principle of scientific rationality emphasizes the unity of instrumental and value rationality. To comprehensively analyze and grasp technological governance, scientific rationality should not be understood narrowly as the rules governing the natural sciences, nor should it be pushed to the extreme of rationalism. Rather, we should emphasize the practical dimension and place technological governance in the context of practice, avoiding an abstract either-or understanding that is divorced from practice.