Forskeres sociale ansvarlighed

Har videnskabsfolk et socialt ansvar? Nogle mener nej, ikke ud over deres almindelige ansvar som borgere i et samfund. Andre, herunder en del forskere selv, mener at de i kraft af deres særlige position og rolle har et særligt ansvar overfor offentligheden og samfundet, og internationalt kan man finde organisationer som Scientists for Global Responsibility, der aktivt søger at øge bevidstheden om dette ansvar. Jeg er lige blevet gjort opmærksom på deres hjemmeside hvor de skriver,

Scientists for Global Responsibility

• promotes ethical science, design and technology, based on the principles of openness, accountability, peace, social justice, and environmental sustainability.
• is an independent UK-based membership organisation of about 850 natural and social scientists, engineers, IT professionals and architects
• carries out research, education, and lobbying centred around the military, environmental and political aspects of science, design and technology
• provides a support network for ethically-concerned professionals in these fields

I deres pressemeddelelse fra i går, "Expanding military influence over science and technology is marginalising social and environmental programmes, says science group", fremføres bl.a. følgende, her i udpluk:

"Flawed government thinking is driving a rapid expansion in the military influence over science and technology, says a new briefing from Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR). US government spending on military research and development (R&D) is soaring (up 57% since 2001), while the UK government has rolled out two new military technology strategies in the last two years. Factors such as these are contributing to an expansion of military involvement in UK universities.

SGR's briefing argues that government policies, which emphasise the application of military technology in dealing with complex international crises, are driving the continued expansion of military R&D in the USA, UK and elsewhere, despite major shortcomings being apparent - not least in current conflicts such as the Iraq war.

The briefing documents how government funding for military R&D dwarfs that spent on social and environmental programmes across the industrialised world. For example, in 2004, governments in industrialised countries spent a total of $85 billion on military R&D, but only $50 billion on R&D for health and environmental protection, and less than $1 billion on R&D for renewable energy technologies essential for tackling climate change. A similar imbalance can be seen in UK spending."

Er der nogen her som ved, om der findes statistikker for størrelsen af den militære forskning i lille Danmark? Her er der måske et punkt, hvor vi endnu ikke følger i hælene på USA?