Bases filosóficas de la democracia participativa en ciencia y tecnología

In contemporary reflection about science, specially in social studies of science (STS studies), one of the most important debates is related to the relevance and peculiarities of public participation in technoscientific matters (a frame where we must add the specific science and technology problems to the more general ones about participatory democracy). This article explores the general questions about who, when, how or where participate, assuming as framework the answer to the most general question about why to do it. In this sense, I will argue that contemporary debate has an important classical Greek philosophy legacy, suggesting the need to recognize this legacy and their implications in order to and adequate answers to the crossroads of citizen participation before cotemporary S&T issues such as those related to energy and the environment.