Notes on Social Science Policy

Steindl, Josef

Bibliographic data

Works

Document type:: Works

Collection:: Josef Steindl Collection

Title:: Notes on Social Science Policy

Author:: Steindl, Josef

Scope:: Typoskript, 14 Blätter, handschriftliche Notiz auf der Rückseite von Blatt 11

Year of publication:: ohne Datum

Language:: English

Description:: Development of knowledge, social sciences, alienation, moral responsibility for scientific creation, integrated science policy.

Note:: Unveröffentlichtes Typoskript.

Topic:: Economic history,economic theory,current developments

JEL Classification:: A12 [Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines] A13 [Relation of Economics to Social Values]

Shelfmark:: S/M.44.4

Access:: Free access

2 In fact, the means have made themselves into aims (vide the machines in Samuel Butler's Erewhon). We stand perplexed and helpless before the problem of organising society, before the division ofiworld by an abyss separating poor and rich nations, and before the environmental problem, watching the sand running through the hour-glass. In fact the forces which have grown up in society and from our oxtfn doings now threaten us more than formerly the forces of nature. In consequence the whole tenden cy of our questioning which has been directed "outward” in the age of science is going to be turned "inward" again. The position of the scientist and the social scientist should be viewed against this background. The scientist has in a sense con quered society and subjected it to his ideas. Yet scientist hardly wield great power in our society, and only rarely do they have even modest wealth. Their relation to the things which they have created is very strange; one might well call it alienation. Their ideas pass out of their hands, to be used by others for whatever alms they think fit: The scientist has no moral re sponsibility for it. As a result there is this curious contrast: The scientist is to quite a large extent free in his domain, nobody interferes with the process of scientific thinking.^ ^This has to be qualified, of course, especially for the life sciences, and even in this century notable exceptions are found (monkey trials, Lysenko, to speak nothing of the inter ferences of fascist powers).

Works

Cite and reuse

Works

Image

Image fragment

Citation links

Citation recommendation