Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.Just think how much of the fury over HCQ has been to prevent President Trump from getting a win and to make sure that only expensive patented drugs can be used for treatment rather than finding whether it works or not.In this revolution, research has become central; it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.
Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been over shadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.
The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present and is gravely to be regarded.
Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.
That passage also speaks to climate change hysteria.
Post 6- Thanks for the info.
Wow, thanks!
I had seen this before but forgotten it. Amazing how so much of what we regard as a present danger started so long ago. It’s like C.S. Lewis’ denunciations of PC back in the ‘50s.