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What is science for?

The failure of modern science to solve all the big problems

On peut constater que l'arrivée de la science moderne, et l'explosion technologique qui a suivi, n'ont pas fourni les solutions à la hauteur des espérances en ce qui concerne les grands problèmes individuels et collectifs. La science traite majoritairement de questions extrêmement spécialisées dont l'implication dans nos vies est très faible et semble produire presque autant de calamités (écologie, armes de destruction massives) que de solutions.

Cause of failure

Rabelais's phrase "Science without conscience is only the ruin of the soul" in his Pantagruel illustrates the problem: what is envisaged is individual supervision (personal awareness) of science instead of collective supervision (social organization).
What is really lacking is an effective social organization such as that described in the book From capital to reason. Neither liberal democracy, nor communism, nor autocracy are social organizations effective enough to channel the powerful tool that is science.
A more helpful metaphor would therefore be to present science as an engine, and social organization as the steering wheel.

Usefulness of modern science for problem solving

Dealing with a problem involves carrying out the following process:
1. Notice the problem.
2. Conduct a serious analysis.
3. Develop a solution, often partial.
4. Implement it.
Without even mentioning its great usefulness in the analysis phase, science is of major use in developing a solution. This is so true that as soon as we regularly practice the serious method of dealing with problems, we see that what is possible in terms of the solution is very often largely determined by the technologies available, which leads to be interested in science.

Go deeper

Concerning the inadequacy of scientific subjects with our fundamental problems:
The conference Are we going to continue scientific research? by Alexendre Grothendick at CERN in 1972
The words of Matthieu Ricard in the first chapter (From scientific research to the spiritual quest) of the book The monk and the philosopher.

Concerning the social regulation of science and technology, see the Amish approach which consists of adopting only a subset of technological inventions.

 

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