Radical new technologies are developing in Western societies at ever-increasing rates but contemporary democracies often lack the appropriate organizational forms to confront these developments. This book discusses the failure of politicians and democratic institutions to cope with modern challenges and proposes a specific strategy to address these problems in contemporary society. It begins with a discussion of technology and science in a societal context. It clarifies the difficult relationship between scientific expertise and politics. The authors propose new strategies to increase public awareness of, and democratic control over, major technological developments. The authors explain the advantage of democratic discourse and consensus formation over voting, and insist that scientists must work with politicians to formulate and articulate their alternative futures for major technological developments.