How British Science Is Organized

John B.S.Haldane

The British Association for the Advancement of Science was founded in 1831, and at that time almost every serious scientist in Britain belonged to it. There were so few of them that most of the year’s work in a given branch of science could be discussed in a few days. In fact it merited title of “Parliament of Science” which is still bestowed on it by some newspapers.

Since then the situation has completely changed. At present there are a number of societies, for example the Royal Astronomical Society, the Chemical Society, the Genetical Society, the Geological Society and the Physiological Society which are composed of scientists only. Finally there is the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge. This has 384 scientific fellows, 49 foreign members, and 15 British fellows. When it was founded nearly 300 years ago, it included every scientist in England, and many others, such as Samuel Pepys, who were interested in science. But now it only includes a small fraction of scientists, and its discussions are less lively than those of the societies concerned with individual sciences. On the other hand, the British Association is concerned with matters other than science. It has sections devoted to psychology, which is still only partially scientific, and to education and economics, which in this country at any rate are hardly so at all. So it has fallen away from its former scientific spirit to a certain extent.

But except for the Royal Society, the scientific societies have not the money to subsidize research. This is done by universities, the government, industrial firms, and endowed bodies. There is no organization of research on a national scale. Some of the government and industrial research is secret, and therefore of no value to science. For science means knowledge.

The British Association is able to spare a few hundred pounds yearly for grants in aid of research. But its main function now is discussion. New results are generally announced at meetings of smaller societies, and the public hears very little of them. Both in Russia and in Scandinavia the press has far better scientific news than in Britain.

If science is to advance in this country as it should, we need more democracy in the laboratories, also more democratic control of expenditure on research. This will only be possible if the people are educated in science, and they are at present deliberately kept in the dark. For a knowledge of science leads to a realization of the huge amount of knowledge which could be applied to the public benefit if industry, agriculture and transport were organized for use and not for profit.

2.2.1 Answer the questions:

1 Who belonged to the British Association for the Advancement of Science in the 19th century?

2 Were there many scientists there at that time?

3 It merited title of “Parliament of Science”, didn’t it?

4 Has the situation changed since then?

5 Whom does the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural knowledge include?

6 What issues is the British Association concerned with?

7 It has fallen away from its former scientific spirit, hasn’t it?

8 Do the scientific societies have the money to subsidize research?

9 There is no organization of research on a national scale, is there?

10 Does the public hear much of the research results?

11 What is necessary for the science to advance in Britain?

2.2.2 Give some facts from the text to prove the following:

The British Association is concerned with matters other than science.

2.2.3 Define the main idea of the text

2.2.4 Do you agree that “Science means knowledge”? Speak on the issue

2.3 Read the text for the information on a scientific institution in England. Use the information when doing the assignments that follow

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