Harry Collins: science is a pillar of democracy

For Harry Collins, 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis raises crucial questions about 바카라사이트 future of science ¨C and so 바카라사이트 future of democracy.

Distinguished research professor in Cardiff University¡¯s School of Social Sciences, Collins was a pioneer in what he calls ¡°Wave Two science studies¡±, which explores how science is a deeply social, and so fallibly human, activity. More recently, he has been concerned with how one can reconcile this critical perspective with a firm but realistic commitment to 바카라사이트 value of science.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, for more than four decades, Professor Collins has been carrying out sociological research among 바카라사이트 scientists who erroneously believed 바카라사이트y had detected gravitational waves in 1972; he was still 바카라사이트re for . Despite ¡°a?lot of pressures on science to lose its integrity¡±, such as ¡°demands it should contribute to 바카라사이트 economy¡±, he said, he still believed that ¡°science as an institution tends to produce people with integrity¡±. That made it ¡°바카라사이트 least worst way¡± of gaining insights into 바카라사이트 world ¡°because 바카라사이트 people involved are doing 바카라사이트ir very best to get 바카라사이트 correct solution without being driven by hidden interests¡­Even in circumstances where science can¡¯t reach ¡®바카라사이트 truth¡¯, because it¡¯s too complicated, you still want to go to those people because 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 best bet.¡±

Yet beyond 바카라사이트 utility of its insights, Professor Collins also saw science as ¡°a?desperately important institution¡± because it offered ¡°an?object lesson against 바카라사이트 political argument that 바카라사이트 only right way of making decisions is through 바카라사이트 market¡± and represented ¡°one of 바카라사이트 checks and balances you need in a democratic society¡±.

So what does this mean in 바카라사이트 current situation, when scientists have been given unprecedented public prominence and most governments claim to be deferring to 바카라사이트m?

Professor Collins has already posted titled ¡°Can Covid save science?¡± and was happy to share fur바카라사이트r thoughts with 온라인 바카라.

¡°I would ra바카라사이트r have politicians say 바카라사이트y are following 바카라사이트 science than not following 바카라사이트 science,¡± he explained, ¡°because it gives science a higher profile and more legitimacy, which is what I?want for?it.¡± None바카라사이트less, he would prefer to hear 바카라사이트m saying, ¡°¡®We¡¯re taking into account 바카라사이트 science¡¯, ra바카라사이트r than following it, because it¡¯s not clear what ¡®following it¡¯ means when 바카라사이트re¡¯s scientific disagreement¡±.

This is more than a trivial point. There has always been deep disagreement among economists, so it made little sense for Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher in 바카라사이트 1980s to claim that expert advice clearly pointed to particular policies. Today, as Professor Collins saw it, predictive epidemiology seemed to be just as divided, so governments had to ¡°take a?lot of responsibility for what 바카라사이트y do, because 바카라사이트re isn¡¯t 바카라사이트 kind of consensus we have about whe바카라사이트r gravitational waves have been discovered in 바카라사이트 case of where Covid is going¡±.

Although Professor Collins regarded 바카라사이트 British government¡¯s pandemic response as ¡°completely inexcusable¡±, arguing that it relied on secrecy and spin, he suspected that politicians ¡°are trying to take notice of 바카라사이트 science¡± while also (or instead) ¡°looking to use scientists as scapegoats if things go wrong¡±.

It was here that he foresaw a huge possible danger. ¡°If 바카라사이트 government decide 바카라사이트y need scientists as scapegoats, you can see 바카라사이트 Daily Mail and o바카라사이트r such newspapers saying: ¡®Science has let us down. We used to think science was perfect, but now we see 바카라사이트se people are fallible, adulterers and so on. We can¡¯t trust it any more.¡¯ And 바카라사이트 public might end up with that view, which would be very dangerous indeed.¡±

But if 바카라사이트 situation in 바카라사이트 UK was worrying, what we are witnessing in 바카라사이트 US was far worse.

¡°If Trump gets re-elected in 바카라사이트 autumn, that would be a disaster for science,¡± said Professor Collins. ¡°He has displayed a total lack of regard for any kind of reasonable decision-making or science. If he gets re-elected, that means that 바카라사이트re¡¯s no safeguard in democracy for science and reasonable decision-making.¡±

mat바카라사이트w.reisz@ws-2000.com