Science, democracy, and the American university : from the Civil War to the Cold War

"This book reinterprets the rise of the natural and social sciences as sources of political authority in modern America. Andrew Jewett demonstrates the remarkable persistence of a belief that the scientific enterprise carried with it a set of ethical values capable of grounding a democratic culture - a political function widely assigned to religion. The book traces the shifting formulations of this belief from the creation of the research universities in the Civil War era to the early Cold War years. It examines hundreds of leading scholars who viewed science not merely as a source of technical knowledge, but also as a resource for fostering cultural change. This vision generated surprisingly nuanced portraits of science in the years before the military industrial complex and has much to teach us today about the relationship between science and democracy" -- Provided by publisher This Book Fundamentally Reinterprets The Rise Of The Natural And Social Sciences As Sources Of Political Authority In Modern America. Andrew Jewett Demonstrates The Remarkable Persistence Of A Belief That The Scientific Enterprise Carried With It A Set Of Ethical Resources Capable Of Grounding A Democratic Culture - A Political Function Widely Assigned To Religion. The Book Traces The Shifting Formulations Of This Belief From The Creation Of The Research Universities In The Civil War Era To The Early Cold War, Tracking Hundreds Of Leading Scholars Who Challenged Technocratic Modes Of Governance Rooted In A Strictly Value-neutral Image Of Science. Many Of These Figures Favored A Deliberative Model Of Democracy, Defined By A Vigorous Process Of Public Deliberation Rather Than Rationalized Administration Or Interest-group Bargaining. This Vision Generated Surprisingly Nuanced Portraits Of Science In The Years Before The Military-industrial Complex-- Machine Generated Contents Note: 1. Introduction: Thinking About John Dewey, Science, And American Politics; Part I. The Scientific Spirit: 2. Founding Hopes; 3. Internal Divisions; 4. Science And Philosophy; Part Ii. The Scientific Attitude: 5. Scientific Citizenship; 6. The Biology Of Culture; 7. The Problem Of Cultural Exchange; 8. Making Scientific Citizens; Part Iii. Science And Politics: 9. Science And Its Contexts; 10. The Problem Of Values; 11. Two Cultures; 12. Accommodation; 13. Conclusion: Science And Democracy After The Cold War. Andrew Jewett, Harvard University. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book fundamentally reinterprets the role of science in American culture by focusing on the political views of natural and social scientists in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Many of them, rather than uncritically supporting modern capitalism and the bureaucratic state, instead hoped to empower the public to take control of these new forms of social power. Content: Introduction : relating science and democracy -- Founding hopes -- Internal divisions -- Science and philosophy -- Scientific citizenship -- The biology of culture -- The problem of cultural change -- Making scientific citizens -- Science and its contexts -- The problem of values -- Two cultures -- Accommodation -- Conclusion : science and democracy in a new century.