Science as a public enterprise

pp. 359-371

in: Joseph Agassi, Science and culture, Berlin, Springer, 2003

Abstract

Science has changed radically after World War II. Big science has replaced traditional science, which was little, and had little public concern. Today big science has new, exciting tasks. This should not be at the cost of a loss of little science. There is a need to revive and protect it, in order to insure the continued well-being of science as a whole. For this a new system is required, since the old one transformed into big science and is thus no longer adequate. Similarly, there is a need for new scientific education. All this invites much careful planning. The starting point of the venture should be the rejection of scientism, of the view that science has a monopoly over rationality. This will invite little science and concern with the quality of daily life.