Lecture given by Prof.Joseph Schmucker von Koch at the
16th ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE UNION OF ARAB MEDICAL DOCTORS IN EUROPE -
September 17, 1999
(Abstract)
In the worldwide process of globalization science policy is gaining
decisive importance for the economic and social prosperity of a
country. Though science as a methodological enterprise of gaining
knowledge is a value in itself it doesn´t take place outside
sociopolitical and sociocultural contexts and is also subject to
historical conditions. Within these contexts science as such faces
output oriented demands which it has to meet in order to justify its
existence.
In the modern world there are mainly six prevailing sociopolitical
and sociocultural goals in the context of which science is being
recognized and evaluated by state institutions, private companies
and investors as well as by the population of a particular country.
These leading goals are:
1) enhancement of economic progress and- in connection with it-
2) enhancement of common welfare, the improvement of overall
quality of life and the standard of living of a nation
3) the improvement of people´s health and the elimination of
diseases respectively new methods of healing them
4) information for political leaders through making available
sound and reliable data bases which allow political authorities
to prepare most reasonably decisions which affect the
future of a country in various fields of vital interest to a
nation
5) defense of a nation against potential aggressors and organized
crime and thus contributing to national security
6) contributing to and extending the freedom of all through the
technological output of science and the revolutionary findings
of research in information technology
The central question for a future oriented science policy now is:
How is science to be organized as an institution that can realize
the goals mentioned above (1-6) most effectively ?
Science in the most advanced societies is developing as a
complex open system which unfolds itself into three basic forms:
1) basic research
2)„mid level” research
3) applied research
„Midlevel” research and applied research are mainly financed
by the private sector (private companies) because of its
productrelated activities aimed at market chances.
Basic research on the other hand is tradionally financed
by the government and public funds due to its being primarily
knowledge directed without any concrete and immediate relation
to making new products available for the market.
This kind of „sectorizing” has primarily economic
reasons (as will be shown briefly in the lecture). Furthermore
these three sectors cannot be clearly separated from each other
in reality.
In a free market economy all of these sectors are interacting
with each other to their mutual benefit. This kind of interaction
of all of the three sectors to their mutual benefit will be
allthemore successful the more efficiently all of the institutions
and organizations are structured which allow for such interaction.
For these institutions and organizations the same frame of
reference is valid which guarantees within the realm of
science itself successful and sustainable developments towards
our improvement of knowledge for the benefit of mankind.
This frame of reference is made up by
1) flexibility to the benefit of innovative developments
2) „open space” (unregulated structures) for creativity and
innovation
3) free international exchange of ideas within the worldwide
scientific community
4) pluralism of various scientific positions and theoretical
concepts
5) financial grants and awards to those researchers and
institutions who produce excellent results
Science Policy has to make available the intellectual (normative)
conditions and material means which allow for a sustainable
development of science within this framework.
Furthermore science policy has not only to work for the
utmost efficient and sustainable development of science and
scientific institutions by guaranteeing the structures of an open
system. It also has to provide for the acceptance of science and
the broad consensus on its goals among the people of a particular
country. Basic Research is usually funded by the taxpayer´s money.
Science Policy has to take this into account and develop strategies
which allow for such an acceptance and a broad based consensus.
There is already sufficient empirical evidence available that
this is best realized by establishing Institutional Review Boards
and Ethics Review Committees at decisive points within scientific
structures. It is their duty and obligation to guarantee that
the complex scientific process remains within the framework of
the leading sociocultural goals (1-6), especially the leading
goal of bringing more freedom to mankind by freeing people from
unnecessary bonds of the unknown which knowledge can dissolve.
Science and basic research must be truly experienced by the
public as a contribution to preserving human dignity in a finite
world. The Committees have to provide for this coherence and
through their decisions can contribute to the respect of specific
sociocultural conditions in a particular country. This is a dynamic
process which necessitates a continuous feedback by the scientific
community which in turn receives a more reliable basis for planning
its projects.
Only through such a value oriented approach to the whole
scientific process modern societies can develop a broad based
acceptance of the scientific progress with its
far reaching consequences for the life of each and every citizen.
Copyright by Joseph Schmucker von Koch. All rights reserved