Science gets political
How does society shape science? How does science shape society? These questions form the foundation of Breakthroughs, the current science exhibition at Liberty Science Center. We are now working on our third topic for the Breakthroughs gallery, and it will likely address those questions head on. The theme: science and politics. The gist: How will the outcome of the upcoming presidential election affect the future of science and technology in the US?
There’s an effort afoot to bring science and technology to the forefront of the voting agenda. Concerned scientists and citizens have started a group called Science Debate 2008. Here’s an excerpt from the web site (www.sciencedebate2008.com):
Science Debate 2008 is a grassroots initiative spearheaded by a growing number of scientists and other concerned citizens. The signatories to our “Call for a Presidential Debate on Science & Technology” include Nobel laureates and other leading scientists, presidents of universities, congresspersons of both major political parties, business leaders, religious leaders, former presidential science advisors, the editors of America’s major science journals, writers, and the current and several past presidents of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, among many others.
We have noticed that science and technology lie at the center of a very large number of the policy issues facing our nation and the world - issues that profoundly affect our national and economic security as science and technology continue to transform our lives. No matter one’s political stripe, these issues pose important pragmatic policy challenges.
We believe these scientific and technological policy challenges can bring out the best in the entrepreneurial American spirit. America can be a leader in finding cures for our worst diseases, inventing the best alternative energy sources, and graduating the most scientifically literate children in the world - or we can concede these economic and humanitarian benefits to other countries.
We believe a debate on these issues would be the ideal opportunity for America and the candidates to explore our national priorities on the issues, and it is hard to imagine any candidate not wishing to be involved in such an occasion.