This has been a question at the time of Aristotle yet.
Of course the answer differs from country to country, from institute to institute, from subject to subject.
And it doesn't concern Social Sciences only.
Hundreds of thousands of physicists even today still have to work on useless nuclear energy, on weapons or space projects.
Hundreds of thousands of pharmacologists have to dedicate their knowledge and labor to companies damaging the public good by producing products that are not used or not useful in 80 per cent of the cases.
Hundreds of thousands of lecturers have to teach outdated knowledge that doesn't help the students to forward their societies.
Hundreds of thousands of Social Scientists are only creating data for market research and polls to manipulate the citizens.
What about the political freedom to use your science in a way it helps societies to overcome violence, war, cheat and poverty?
I wish all of you a Happy New Year!
Happy new year 2016 to all.
Scientists are generally employee of government or private sector. I think in most of countries they don't take part in politics. They are bound to the desire of their employers. Some time they do politics to get higher position in the institutes, otherwise they have no influence on country politics.
Hi Alexader
fascinating question indeed , bravo .
scientists who unscrupulously support and disseminate sinister malicious ideologies of certain institutions are taking part in the process, either for financial or other interests and they can not be exempt from the repercussions.
genuine scientists do not foster manipulative repressive organizations under any circumstance, rather they condemn them and create awareness and consciousness against them.
To naively or conservatively consider their presumably scientific activities as apolitical or harmless is in fact a political attitude of naturalizing and fabricating the discursive practices of lies, deceptions, injustice, fear and what not.
One of the best questions of RG. And one of the most difficult. The problem isn't only in professional ethics or political loyalty. it's hard to resist the temptation of knowledge and to stop.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Education