The Freedom of Scientific Research : Bridging the Gap Between Science and Society

Never have the scope and limits of scientific freedom been more important or more under attack. New science, from artificial intelligence to genomic manipulation, creates unique opportunities to make the world a better place. But it also presents unprecedented dangers, which many believe threaten the survival of humanity and the planet. This collection, by an international and multidisciplinary group of leading thinkers, addresses three vital questions: (1) How are scientific developments impacting on human life and on the structure of societies? (2) How is science regulated, and how should it be regulated? (3) Are there ethical boundaries to scientific developments in some sensitive areas (e.g. robotic intelligence, biosecurity)? The contributors are drawn from many disciplines, and approach the issues in diverse ways to secure the widest representation of the many interests engaged. They include some of the most distinguished academics working in this field, as well as young scholars. "Never has the scope and limits of scientific freedom been more important or more under attack. New science, from artificial intelligence to genomic manipulation, creates unique opportunities to make the world a better place and presents unprecedented dangers, which many believe threaten the survival of humanity and the planet. Ironically the very discoveries which promise so much, themselves create new dangers. This book is about the opportunities and challenges, moral, regulatory and existential that now face both science and society. At stake is both the survival of humankind and the continued existence of our planet. This collection by an international and multi-disciplinary group of leading thinkers addresses three vital questions: 1 How are scientific developments impacting on human life and on the structure of societies? 2 How is science regulated, and how should it be regulated?3 Are there ethical boundaries to scientific developments in some sensitive areas? (robotic intelligence, biosecurity?) The book is written in a lively approachable style which will be accessible to a wide audience, indeed to anyone interested in these vital issues. The authors are drawn from many countries and disciplines, and approach the issues in diverse ways to secure widest representation of the many interests engaged. Authors include some of the most distinguished academics working in this field as well as young scholars. Readership will likely include the life sciences, law, philosophy, social and political science, astro-physics and medicine and will appeal to policy-makers, and the general public alike." -- Back cover Front matter Dedication Contents List of figures List of tables Contributors Series editor’s foreword Preface: the moral foundations of freedom of science Acknowledgements Part I: Freedom of science: promises and hazards Introduction to Part I The influence of infection on society Scientific progress and longevity: curse or blessing? Reproductive technologies and the family in the twenty-first century New frontiers in surgery: the case of uterus and penis transplantation Freedom, law, politics, genes: the case of mitochondrial transfer Scientific freedom and responsibility in a biosecurity context Robotic intelligence: philosophical and ethical challenges Big science and small science: reflections on the relationship between science and society from the perspective of physics Part II: Freedom of science and the need for regulation Introduction to Part II Advocating a radical change in policies and new models to secure freedom and efficiency in funding and communication of science Freedom of research and the right to science: from theory to advocacy The donation of embryos for research: maintaining trust From Galileo to embryos and narcotic drugs: the quest for the right to science Science, self-control and human freedom: a naturalistic approach Evidence-based policy and the precautionary principle: friends or foes? Let freedom ring for science: an American perspective Conclusion Index Never before have the scope and limits of scientific freedom been more important or more under attack. New science, from artificial intelligence to gene editing, creates unique opportunities for making the world a better place. It also presents unprecedented dangers. This book is about the opportunities and challenges – moral, regulatory and existential – that face both science and society. How are scientific developments impacting on human life and on the structure of societies? How is science regulated and how should it be regulated? Are there ethical boundaries to scientific developments in sensitive areas? Such are the questions that the book seeks to answer. Both the survival of humankind and the continued existence of our planet are at stake.