Politics And Science
I admit: sometimes it takes me a long while to pick something up. At times… I’m quite slow. Anyway, it has now occured to me that we have a lot of commenters here at The Moderate Voice who show a, as far as I can tell, above-average interest in science. Scientific methods, how science is being used in politics these days, what they think the role of science should be in the future (regarding politics), etc.
So, what role do you all believe science should play in politics? If everything could be expressed in scientific methods, should ‘we’ just support the ‘best’ one? Is it all about pragmatism, should it all be about pragmatism, or is there more to politics than science? Should science only play an advisory role? Does not, sometimes, ideology beat pragmatism?
And, perhaps more importantly, is it even possible to use science for all major parts of politics?
Lastly, isn’t there the great danger of abusing science? As Grognard and Jim S. pointed out in yesterday’s thread (that got re-published today) about the ‘emptiness’ in American politics, this danger is not just a potential one, it is already occuring. From Grognard’s comment:
I also see science getting hijacked at times by the left and right for other political purposes. How a laymen is to sift through some of the issues and at the same time have know what is “real� and what is “agenda� denotes the problem.
How to, effectively, fight this? Perhaps by creating big independent research centers whose only job it is to publish scientific researches about political relevant issues? As some major advisor for both politicians and for the American people themselves? Almost like a 4th (or 5th) Estate? Or as Grognard put it by starting small?
Maybe a good start on some of this is to have moderates like ourselves find the best objective websites and other information sources and share them. Of course problem two that you ably pointed out is that things are getting very complex, any information source must also have the ability to put theses complexities into laymen’s terms, not always an easy task.
Just some questions, just some ideas. Please debate.
105 Responses to “Politics And Science”
For people who are interested in climatology, especially as it relates to the global warming debate, check out realclimate.org. It’s run by climatologists, gives explanations that aren’t dumbed down and has links to the actual papers they’re talking about whenever possible.
Jim, Kevin, Mikkel thanks for the links and thought provoking comments. This is the type of discussion that makes TMV fun and interesting, you have all been a blast to read. It looks like what we need two things, more sites like realclimate.org where lay people can get at least some type of a over view of what a scientific discipline is up to, and we need to get our educational system fixed as to how science is presented. I would also add that we need to get people who have already gone through our educational system “retrained� on what they missed as far as science goes. Again, thanks for the comments and insights.
I second Grognard’s comment: to everyone who participated actively in this thread, thanks very much. Threads like this always make me aware of how priviliged I am that Joe asked me to become a co-blogger.
I want to agree with grognards second fix to our problem, take me for example, i didnt understand fully the extent that a theory must go through to be called a theory. this is because in my early education and the basic science i have taken for my degree never really went into what a theory has to go through just stated that one principle is a theory or a law or an axiom. I believe education is the key to progression.
thank you all,
Goose
Another site that you might want to check out is Ask the Experts at Scientific American.