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> Governments fund the sciences because the public demands it. Is this a scientific fact? Secondly, is it an epistemically flawless fact (which is similar, bu

• chongli 3y ago
  Is this a scientific fact? Secondly, is it an epistemically flawless fact (which is similar, but also different)? Why don’t you check on Google Scholar and report back to me? In what way exactly does "the public" "demand" that which science does? In the economic way that we say most things are demanded. I’m not saying that people are going to be out in the streets protesting if scientists start publishing more negative results. I’m saying that the general public attitude towards science (the one measured in polls) is affected by the public’s perception that scientists are producing important and meaningful results.
  • mistermann 3y ago
    > Why don’t you check on Google Scholar and report back to me? Standard conventions for burden of proof I suppose. Surely you don't actually have no evidence to back up your claim, do you? > In the economic way that we say most things are demanded. Are you discerning support for science from economic data of some sort? >I’m saying that the general public attitude towards science (the one measured in polls) is affected by the public’s perception that scientists are producing important and meaningful results. And might it be possible that the public's perception of science could be affected by all of the free marketing it's gotten in the last five or so years?