The culture and power of knowledge : inquiries into contemporary societies : Internatioal symposium on "Knowledge societies" : Papers

Pt. I. The Culture And Power Of Knowledge In Modern Society / Nico Stehr And Richard V. Ericson. I. Knowledge Societies. Ii. Theories Of Modern Society. Iii. Toward A Sociological Concept Of Knowledge. Iv. Researchable Issues -- Pt. Ii. Theoretical Perspectives. A Critical View Of Modernity / Alain Touraine. The Techno-structures Of Society / Gernot Bohme. Ii. Technology As The Self-preservation Of Society. Iii. The Technical Object And The Techno-structure. Iv. Technical Socialization And Release. V. Society And Generation. Some Observations On Post-modern Society / S. N. Eisenstadt. The Idols Of Technology / William Leiss. I. Bacon's Idols. Ii. A Modern Idolatry. Iii. Bacon's Wager. Iv. The Century Of Environmental Crisis. V. Appendix: Issues In The Perception Of Environmental Risks --^ Pt. Iii. Knowledge, Experts And Expertise. Life-world And Expertise: Social Production Of Dependency / Zygmunt Bauman. I. Existential Foundations Of Expertise. Ii. Redeployment Of Skills. Iii. Self-reproduction Of Expertise. Iv. Marketing The Expertise. V. The Tendencies And Limits Of Expert-designed Life World. Experts, Counsellors And Advisers / Nico Stehr. I. Knowledge And Expertise. Ii. The Knowledge Society. Iii. Intellectuals And Experts. Iv. Institutions And Expertise. V. Conditions For The Growth Of Experts. Vi. The Functions Of Expertise. Knowledge As Product And Property / Steve Fuller. I. The Interchangeability Of Knowledge And Power. Ii. Embodying Knowledge As Professional Power. Iii. From Knowledge Product To Intellectual Property. Iv. Conferring Validity And Value On Intellectual Property. V. Is The Market For Knowledge Saturated Or Depressed? --^ Pt. Iv. Science And Technology As Social Risks. Modern Society As A Risk Society / Ulrich Beck. I. The Paradigm Of The Risk-society. Ii. Risks Of Modernization --^ Five Theses. Iii. First Thesis: Knowledge Is Dependent On Modernization Risks. Iv. Second Thesis: Modernization Risks Exploding The Class-structure. V. Third Thesis: On The Market Form Of Modernization Risks. Vi. Fourth Thesis: Consciousness Determines Being, Knowledge Of Risks And Levels Of Effect Of Risks. Vii. Fifth Thesis: The Risk-society Engenders The Political Potential For A Dirigiste Politics Of The State Of Emergency. Science As A Societal Risk Producer / Uwe Schimank. I. The General Intersystemic Dynamics Of Scientific Risk Production. Ii. Some Institutional Determinants Of The Societal Risk Potential Of Research Behavior. Social Conflicts About The Definition Of Risks: The Role Of Science / Christoph Lau. I. Traditional Risks. Ii. Industrial Risks. Iii. New Technological Risks. Iv. New Risks And Societal Conflicts. V. Science And Public Conflicts About Risks. Vi. Some Typical Strategies Of Risk Definition --^ Pt. V. The Economic Structure Of Knowledge Societies. The Changed World Economy / Peter F. Drucker. Global Change And Economic Policy / Richard G. Lipsey. I. The World Of 1950. Ii. The Shift To The New Order. Iii. The World Of 1990. Iv. Economic Policy In Transition. Learning And The Economy / Judith Marquand. Ii. The Economists' View Of Human Capital. Iii. Knowledge, Competence And General Skills. Iv. The Learning Process And The Learning Cycle. V. Learning And Innovation. Vi. Learning And Economics. Vii. Learning And The Economy -- Pt. Vi. Empirical Analysis Of Knowledge Production And Its Soci Edited By Nico Stehr And Richard V. Ericson. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Part I. The Culture and Power of Knowledge in Modern Society Introduction I. Knowledge Societies II. Theories of Modern Society III. Toward a Sociological Concept of Knowledge IV. Researchable Issues Notes References Part II. Theoretical Perspectives Introduction A Critical View of Modernity The Techno-structures of Society I. Introduction II. Technology as the Self-preservation of Society III. The Technical Object and the Techno-structure IV. Technical Socialization and Release V. Society and Generation VI. Concluding Remarks Notes References Some Observations on “Post-modern” Society The Idols of Technology I. Bacon’s Idols II. A Modern Idolatry III. Bacon’s Wager IV. The Century of Environmental Crisis V. Appendix: Issues in the Perception of Environmental Risks Notes References Part III. Knowledge, Experts and Expertise Introduction Life-world and Expertise: Social Production of Dependency I. Existential Foundations of Expertise II. Redeployment of Skills III. Self-reproduction of Expertise IV. Marketing the Expertise V. The Tendencies and Limits of Expert-Designed Life World Notes References Experts, Counsellors and Advisers I. Knowledge and Expertise II. The Knowledge Society III. Intellectuals and Experts IV. Institutions and Expertise V. Conditions for the Growth of Experts VI. The Functions of Expertise VII. Conclusion Notes References Knowledge as Product and Property I. The Interchangeability of Knowledge and Power II. Embodying Knowledge as Professional Power III. From Knowledge Product to Intellectual Property IV. Conferring Validity and Value on Intellectual Property V. Is the Market for Knowledge Saturated or Depressed? Notes References Part IV. Science and Technology as Social Risks Introduction Modern Society as a Risk Society I. The Paradigm of the Risk-society II. Risks of Modernization – Five Theses III. First Thesis: Knowledge is Dependent on Modernization Risks IV Second Thesis: Modernization Risks Exploding the Class-structure V. Third Thesis: On the Market Form of Modernization Risks VI. Fourth Thesis: Conciousness Determines Being, Knowledge of Risks and Levels of Effect of Risks VII. Fifth Thesis: The Risk-society Engenders the Political Potential for a Dirigiste Politics of the State of Emergency Note Science as a Societal Risk Producer I The General Intersystemic Dynamics of Scientific Risk Production II Some Institutional Determinants of the Societal Risk Potential of Research Behavior Notes References Social Conflicts about the Definition of Risks: The Role of Science I. Traditional Risks II. Industrial Risks III. New Technological Risks IV. New Risks and Societal Conflicts V. Science and Public Conflicts About Risks VI. Some Typical Strategies of Risk Definition References Part V. The Economic Structure of Knowledge Societies Introduction The Changed World Economy Notes References Global Change and Economic Policy I. The World of 1950 II. The Shift to the New Order III. The World of 1990 IV. Economic Policy in Transition V. Conclusion Notes References Learning and the Economy I. Introduction II. The Economists’ View of Human Capital III. Knowledge, Competence and General Skills IV. The Learning Process and the Learning Cycle V. Learning and Innovation VI. Learning and Economics VII. Learning and the Economy References Part VI. Empirical Analysis of Knowledge Production and its Social Consequences Introduction Scientific Evidence and the Regulation of Technical Risks: Twenty Years of Demythologizing the Experts I. Professional Analysis vs. Political Bargaining II. “We Do Not Know Enough!” III. “You Never Know Enough” IV. The Professional Appropriation of Risk Controversies V. The Limits and Relevance of Professional Mandate in the Regulation of Risk References Expertise as a Network: A Case Study of the Controversies over the Environmental Release of Genetically Engineered Organisms I. Introduction II. Analyzing “Expertise” III. The Debate over Genetically Engineered Microorganisms (GEMS) IV. Concluding remarks Notes References Expert Advice and Pragmatic Rationality I. The Ozone Layer Debate II. Standards for Dioxin in the Netherlands III. Conclusion Notes References On the Authors Name Index Subject Index

This work explores the theological and social dimensions of generosity in the book of Sirach and contextualizes them within the culture and thought of Second Temple Judaism. Ben Sira's understanding of generosity is predicated on the tension between affirming the classic wisdom principle of retributive justice and recognizing its breakdown in the socio-economic circumstances of Seleucid Judea. He forges a new Wisdom-Torah ethic of mercy in which giving generously is an integral part of living "the good life".
While loans and surety are essential practices, almsgiving is the preeminent act of generosity. The fundamental theological logic at work consists in viewing the poor as proxies for God and is based on the economic structure of Proverbs 19: 17. Giving to the poor is, in reality, a deposit in a heavenly treasury and will pay future dividends. By situating Ben Sira's view of almsgiving within the wider framework of retributive justice and its breakdown, new light is shed on the practical tensions regarding the extent of almsgiving and its relationship to the support of the Jerusalem priesthood.
The various dynamics of Ben Sira's thought on generosity are situated within the broader Hellenistic world and in their foundational role for later Jewish and Christian thought.