Science and politics in democratic contexts II: Social Contract for Science [Ciencia y política en contextos democráticos II: El contrato social para la ciencia]

Abstract

States take increasingly part in scientifical matters ever more actively and enthusiastically, e.g., in the design of politics for science or the creation of mechanisms and tools for the evaluation of the performance of entities involved in science. This implication of the state necessarily directs the relation between science and politics. In democratical contexts, these relations are studied within the framework of the Social Contract for Science (CSC) which is a theoretical model for describing and understanding the relationships between the scientific community and politics. In this writing, I shall concentrate on explaining the fundamental characteristics of the classical model of the social contract for science and the new version of this model. I provide arguments that clarify the importance of political actors to commit to helping the scientific community and providing the necessary financial resources for the progress of science, without implying, however, the political intervention of the state in the scientific investigation or the achievement of specific results. It is important on the other hand that the scientific community acknowledges the importance of being able to rely on public financing by the state for the development of scientific investigation, and accept the commitment to integrity, productivity, and high quality in work on the progress of science.