Administration at the Cusp of Science

Abstract

This article considers the problems faced by judges in law and policy disputes involving complex scientific and technological issues. It examines the historical development of government involvement in regulating recombinant DNA research, focusing on Foundation on Economic Trends v. Heckler, a challenge to the deliberate release of a genetically engineered microorganism into the environment. Although efforts were made to handle this case in terms of narrowly defined legal issues, this analysis demonstrates that cases like this produce an inevitable mixture of legal, scientific, and policy issues. The article considers the implications of this blending of issues for the study of controversies involving law, science, and administration.