Saving Science from Itself: Competition, Politicization and the Changing Social Value of Expertise

Abstract.  Science’s insights improve decisions and quality of life for millions of people. At the same time, technological and societal changes have transformed the marketplace for information. These changes have produced new questions about the kinds of research that government should fund and the conditions under which science should affect public decision making. This presentation focuses on the changing correspondence between societal needs and scholarly incentives. One implication is that a number of long-standing scientific expectations and practices cannot be sustained. The main implication is that if researchers and scientific institutions are to produce great social value in the coming years, more of them will have to commit to better communication, greater reproducibility, and more effective stakeholder engagement. Technology has disrupted the marketplace for information, science must adapt.