Private Wealth and American Science

[Laika]

Federal funding for Scientific research declined from a high of $40 billion in 2009 to $30 billion in 2013. In to the viod stepped philanthropy by billionaires, with funding focused on individual preferences whilst ignoring basic research in favour of "a jumble of popular, feel-good fields like environmental studies and space exploration".

Critics argue this risks "the social contract that cultivates science for the common good": "They worry that the philanthropic billions tend to enrich elite universities at the expense of poor ones, while undermining political support for federally sponsored research and its efforts to foster a greater diversity of opportunity — geographic, economic, racial — among the nation’s scientific investigators."

According to Merrill Goozner, a program director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group; “In many precincts of the scientific enterprise, the needs of industry have become paramount,” turning science into “a contested terrain” where facts are increasingly contingent on who is funding the research. “The whole scientific revolution, which was a product of the Enlightenment, is threatened when you commercialize science.”

"The availability of so much well-financed ambition has created a new kind of dating game. In what is becoming a common narrative, researchers like to describe how they begged the federal science establishment for funds, were brushed aside and turned instead to the welcoming arms of philanthropists. To help scientists bond quickly with potential benefactors, a cottage industry has emerged, offering workshops, personal coaching, role-playing exercises and the production of video appeals."

Billionaires With Big Ideas Are Privatizing American Science

Science's Worst Enemy: Corporate Funding | DiscoverMagazine.com

Do you think this is an issue? Should Science be funded by the Government or the Private Sector?

 

[idav]

Federal funding for Scientific research declined from a high of $40 billion in 2009 to $30 billion in 2013. In to the viod stepped philanthropy by billionaires, with funding focused on individual preferences whilst ignoring basic research in favour of "a jumble of popular, feel-good fields like environmental studies and space exploration".

Critics argue this risks "the social contract that cultivates science for the common good": "They worry that the philanthropic billions tend to enrich elite universities at the expense of poor ones, while undermining political support for federally sponsored research and its efforts to foster a greater diversity of opportunity — geographic, economic, racial — among the nation’s scientific investigators."

According to Merrill Goozner, a program director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group; “In many precincts of the scientific enterprise, the needs of industry have become paramount,” turning science into “a contested terrain” where facts are increasingly contingent on who is funding the research. “The whole scientific revolution, which was a product of the Enlightenment, is threatened when you commercialize science.”

"The availability of so much well-financed ambition has created a new kind of dating game. In what is becoming a common narrative, researchers like to describe how they begged the federal science establishment for funds, were brushed aside and turned instead to the welcoming arms of philanthropists. To help scientists bond quickly with potential benefactors, a cottage industry has emerged, offering workshops, personal coaching, role-playing exercises and the production of video appeals."

Billionaires With Big Ideas Are Privatizing American Science

Science's Worst Enemy: Corporate Funding | DiscoverMagazine.com

Do you think this is an issue? Should Science be funded by the Government or the Private Sector?

This makes sense which is why I think we are inevitably headed towards some version of black mirror very soon. They are growing skin now, imagine what that can do for the elite.

If you haven't seen the black mirror series, highly recommended.

 

[Augustus]

Should Science be funded by the Government or the Private Sector?

Both.

If private wealth isn't used in the sciences then there will be much less innovation and development as we will be limited to projects that get greenlit by centralised authorities based on perceived needs defined by bureaucratic entities.

Given that developments are often the combination of both luck and skill, throwing more darts at the board gives you a much better chance of success.

“The whole scientific revolution, which was a product of the Enlightenment, is threatened when you commercialize science.”

The wealthy have always funded the sciences, the Enlightenment was no exception. And science has always been used to further the aims of powerful interests.

Also, modern scientific practice often makes it easy for such interests to 'game' the system, medicine/pharma would be a clear example. This requires a rethink of current scientific norms as much as anything.

 

[PureX]

Federal funding for Scientific research declined from a high of $40 billion in 2009 to $30 billion in 2013. In to the viod stepped philanthropy by billionaires, with funding focused on individual preferences whilst ignoring basic research in favour of "a jumble of popular, feel-good fields like environmental studies and space exploration".

Critics argue this risks "the social contract that cultivates science for the common good": "They worry that the philanthropic billions tend to enrich elite universities at the expense of poor ones, while undermining political support for federally sponsored research and its efforts to foster a greater diversity of opportunity — geographic, economic, racial — among the nation’s scientific investigators."

According to Merrill Goozner, a program director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group; “In many precincts of the scientific enterprise, the needs of industry have become paramount,” turning science into “a contested terrain” where facts are increasingly contingent on who is funding the research. “The whole scientific revolution, which was a product of the Enlightenment, is threatened when you commercialize science.”

"The availability of so much well-financed ambition has created a new kind of dating game. In what is becoming a common narrative, researchers like to describe how they begged the federal science establishment for funds, were brushed aside and turned instead to the welcoming arms of philanthropists. To help scientists bond quickly with potential benefactors, a cottage industry has emerged, offering workshops, personal coaching, role-playing exercises and the production of video appeals."

Billionaires With Big Ideas Are Privatizing American Science

Science's Worst Enemy: Corporate Funding | DiscoverMagazine.com

Do you think this is an issue? Should Science be funded by the Government or the Private Sector?

The more we allow wealth to pile up in the hands and under the control of an elite few individuals, the more those elite few will control the course of all humanity. And this is NEVER a good thing. Because those elite few will inevitably be the kind of people who care more about gaining massive wealth for themselves then about the well-being of the rest of humanity. It's why they are who they are. And it's an innate recipe for disaster to allow them to be in control of the well-being of others.

 

[Vee]

This makes sense which is why I think we are inevitably headed towards some version of black mirror very soon. They are growing skin now, imagine what that can do for the elite.

If you haven't seen the black mirror series, highly recommended.

I saw the first series and the fact that those stories could so easily be happening in the near future disturbed me so much I couldn't watch the rest. I feel a bit like a coward for not having the courage to see the other episodes.

 

[Vee]

Do you think this is an issue? Should Science be funded by the Government or the Private Sector?

The private sector owns the Government so I'm not sure it makes that much of a difference. Whatever great things science develops will be commercialized in a way that will further enslave the people and enrich the wealthy.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

Federal funding for Scientific research declined from a high of $40 billion in 2009 to $30 billion in 2013. In to the viod stepped philanthropy by billionaires, with funding focused on individual preferences whilst ignoring basic research in favour of "a jumble of popular, feel-good fields like environmental studies and space exploration".

Critics argue this risks "the social contract that cultivates science for the common good": "They worry that the philanthropic billions tend to enrich elite universities at the expense of poor ones, while undermining political support for federally sponsored research and its efforts to foster a greater diversity of opportunity — geographic, economic, racial — among the nation’s scientific investigators."

According to Merrill Goozner, a program director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group; “In many precincts of the scientific enterprise, the needs of industry have become paramount,” turning science into “a contested terrain” where facts are increasingly contingent on who is funding the research. “The whole scientific revolution, which was a product of the Enlightenment, is threatened when you commercialize science.”

"The availability of so much well-financed ambition has created a new kind of dating game. In what is becoming a common narrative, researchers like to describe how they begged the federal science establishment for funds, were brushed aside and turned instead to the welcoming arms of philanthropists. To help scientists bond quickly with potential benefactors, a cottage industry has emerged, offering workshops, personal coaching, role-playing exercises and the production of video appeals."

Billionaires With Big Ideas Are Privatizing American Science

Science's Worst Enemy: Corporate Funding | DiscoverMagazine.com

Do you think this is an issue? Should Science be funded by the Government or the Private Sector?

Who do you trust more, a politician or a private citizen? Not much contest is there?

 

[Politesse]

A balance is good, I think. But we do need government funding. Private entities too seldom employ qualified scientists to evaluate proposals, leading to weird imbalances between the research that is needed and research that is popular; they also tend to attempt much more involvement in the research itself than is healthy. Governments, too, need scientific research whether they realize it or not. It is also helpful for them to have the check of private funding to counter the biases of governmental agencies.