science in an anarchist society

Anarchism is often confused with Luddism, the belief that science and technology are inherently bad. Although Anarcho-Primitivists do exist, their views are not held by the vast majority of Anarchists, quite the contrary. In this sense at least, Anarcho-Primitivism can be compared to Anarcho-Capitalism.

Most anarchists would agree with Situationist Ken Knabb in arguing that "in a liberated world computers and other modern technologies could be used to eliminate dangerous or boring tasks, freeing everyone to concentrate on more interesting activities." Obviously "certain technologies -- nuclear power is the most obvious example -- are indeed so insanely dangerous that they will no doubt be brought to a prompt halt. Many other industries which produce absurd, obsolete or superfluous commodities will, of course, cease automatically with the disappearance of their commercial rationales. But many technologies, however they may presently be misused, have few if any inherent drawbacks. It's simply a matter of using them more sensibly, bringing them under popular control, introducing a few ecological improvements, and redesigning them for human rather than capitalistic ends." Thus most eco-anarchists see the use of appropriate technology as the means of creating a society which lives in balance with nature.