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.
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