Science for Society

Today, more than ever, science is a vital source of educational, intellectual and cultural enrichment. When we talk of knowledge societies and knowledge economies, we are in practice pointing out that they are, in a fundamental way, science-based.

Science leads to technological advances and economic benefits that offer unique opportunities to meet basic human needs, reduce poverty, protect the environment and improve the quality of life.

The promotion of science and the use of its fruits require sustained political commitment and long-term action.

The essential function of the basic sciences is to carry out a thorough inquiry, leading to new scientific knowledge that enhances our understanding of natural phenomena. Increasingly, however, the “disinterested” model of scientific endeavour does not correspond to a reality in which there are strong expectations that science should lead to technological advances and improve people’s lives.

However, there are tensions here.

Although the basic sciences have nowadays become an indispensable tool for development, the benefits of science are still unevenly distributed. Many developing countries in particular find themselves largely excluded not only from the benefits of the basic sciences but also from the very processes through which scientific knowledge is generated.

Of the many divides in our world, the knowledge divide is one of the most fundamental and the basic sciences are implicated in this. The deepening divide between North and South in science education, scientific research, technology, agriculture, health care and information technology is part cause, part effect of a development divide.

When talking about “challenges for science in the twenty-first century” one must recognize that, by its very nature, science is a cooperative endeavour and an activity without national borders. It has a remarkable capacity to mobilize intellectual effort on both theoretical and practical problems. By sharing scientific knowledge and joining together in making advances in science and technology, scientists are utilizing powerful means to promote international cooperation.

Scientific knowledge has led to remarkable innovations that have been of great benefit to humankind. Life expectancy has increased strikingly, and cures have been discovered for many diseases. Agricultural output has risen significantly in many parts of the world to meet growing population needs. Technological developments and the use of new energy sources have created the opportunity to free humankind from arduous labour. They have also enabled the generation of an expanding and complex range of industrial products and processes. Technologies based on new methods of communication, information handling and computation have brought unprecedented opportunities and challenges for the scientific endeavour as well as for society at large. Steadily improving scientific knowledge on the origin, functions and evolution of the universe and of life provides humankind with conceptual and practical approaches that profoundly influence its conduct and prospects.

At the same time, science itself is undergoing rapid change, with an “explosive” development of new fields, concepts, methodologies and potential applications.

It is often difficult to see the long-term consequences of scientific advance and its applications, and this heightens our sense of vulnerability. But it has also raised important moral, social, legal and cultural challenges.

The convergence of the information and life sciences has led to considerable progress in genetics and biotechnology. Human life, even the concept of life itself, is now challenged by advances in the biosciences and by the development of biomedical and genetic techniques.

Today, whilst unprecedented advances in the sciences are foreseen, there is a need for a vigorous and informed democratic debate on the production and use of scientific knowledge. Greater interdisciplinary efforts, involving both natural and social sciences, are a prerequisite for dealing with ethical, social, cultural, environmental, gender, economic and health issues.

Most of the benefits of science are unevenly distributed, as a result of structural asymmetries among countries, regions and social groups, and between the sexes. As scientific knowledge has become a crucial factor in the production of wealth, so its distribution has become more inequitable. What distinguishes the poor (be it people or countries) from the rich is not only that they have fewer assets, but also that they are largely excluded from the creation and the benefits of scientific knowledge.

One of the main challenges facing the basic sciences today is the fact that fewer and fewer talented youngsters seem to be interested in science, a global trend that seems to be leaving the faculties of mathematics, physics and chemistry empty. The general public seems ready and willing to use the latest products of scientific and technological ingenuity but is less interested in science itself. And young people are increasingly turning away from science as a career. This is a worrying trend, the reasons for which are multiple and complex. This decline of interest in science and scientific careers must be counteracted for it threatens the sustainability of the scientific enterprise itself and, by extension, the prospects for using science for development.

Another challenge, of course, is the brain drain. For developing countries to be in a position to exploit what science offers, there is a clear need to build a critical mass of people involved in science and technology. Continual, large-scale brain drain, however, is a serious challenge to efforts to nurture and maintain sufficient numbers of highly qualified and innovative scientists and engineers. Effective encouragements need to be found to induce them to remain in or return to their countries. Strategies to facilitate this need to be developed, such as the building of working connections between research groups in major educational and research institutions in the North and counterparts in the South; setting up centres and networks of excellence; and creating innovative partnerships.

Another operational issue to address as a priority is the involvement of industrialists in the common action supporting science for development. It is also essential to involve industry in their deliberations and debates, especially on development issues. The improvement of science-industry cooperation is not always easy but, if successful, it opens up important possibilities for all concerned.

The problems the human society is facing today are numerous and diverse. They can be solved with greater success and no doubt in a shorter time if we manage to unite our efforts and promote cooperation worldwide.

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