Are there any recent, detailed studies, with hard evidence, that examine the often heard opinion that the funding procedures for scientific research typically in use worldwide very commonly subordinate research to national, commercial and other interests, and even tend to undermine the reliability of the scientific insights supposedly obtained?
It is obvious to anyone who has served (as I have) on committees that provide research funds on a competitive basis that normal human social behaviour (of various kinds, both "positive" and "negative") influences, to a degree, the decisions that these committees make. My question concerns how far and how frequently this influence reduces the objectivity of the research ultimately undertaken and the results reported.
My Friends
I am disappointed that no one seems able to help with this question.
This is surely an important matter including for the RG community. Too much emphasis in scientific research on local, short-term, impact rather than global, long-term, reliable and usable knowledge can only take us all to a bad place.
It seems relevant that the President of the (UK) Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse, just a few days ago complained in a widely publicised speech of the negative impact on the UK scientific process of certain political pressures within the UK coupled with failures of UK political leadership.
Hopefully, the social scientists are working on it...
Jim
I guess hard evidence is hard to come by for these kind of questions. Still, I appreciate the question and will be interested in the answers. Even if it is not hard evidence, RG community can share their personal opinion on this important topic.
See, for example, the following extract from a BBC news report of today (28.4.15):
"The Vatican Science Academy will urge Christians to take action on climate change because it threatens the world's poor.
"The Academy is being addressed on the issue by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
"Next month the Pope is due to deliver an Encyclical, an official statement, on the dangers of heating the climate.
"It may be controversial among Catholic conservatives in the US, many of whom say climate change is entirely natural.
"But Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, who heads the Academy, told BBC News that Christians were obliged to be stewards of the Earth and protect the poor - which meant taking action to safeguard the climate.
"He said the oil industry was fomenting distrust of science in the US because it did not want society to change."
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