A recent article in the journal Miller-McCune, July 2008, pp. 26-35,
explains how the political process is using the scientific values of
doubt and uncertainty for political ends. Hence, politics now
encompasses and manipulates the phil. of science. So, of course,
science, I suggest in the form of cybernetics, must now reflexively
describe the political process and its interaction with science and
philosophy. See also Al Gore's book, The Assault on Reason.
From time to time people ask for applications of second order
cybernetics / reflexivity. I think there are clear applications in
psychotherapy (see the work of Bateson, Maturana, Watzlawick, etc.),
economics and finance (Soros), strategy and negotiation (Lefebvre),
ethics (von Foerster and Lefebvre), and now public policy (the article
above). I know of no science other than cybernetics that can
adequately describe this phenomonen. If you want a copy, I'll post it
on my website, address below.