Science and Politics

It keeps coming up "Big Science" prefers Democrat controlled government.  Mostly because they think democrats will spend more money on science.

Many big pharmaceutical companies and chem companies, NASA and others donate millions of dollars to political candidates and parties.


When asked why they prefer democrat controlled government, the answer usually boils down to 2 things;


Money.  Democrats are well known for having more willingness to spend money expand budgets, etc...


The perception that Republicans are more religion based in their thinking and that gets in the way of several scientific endeavors, like stem cell research.

I'm  not going to go too far into whether Republicans are more religious than Democrats or not.  I'm not going to get into whether science and religion are as diametrically opposed as people make them out to be either.

I am going to say that having someone tell you that just because you can do something, doesn't always mean you should do it, is anathema to many scientists.

They don't like being told there are lines we shouldn't cross.

They want to "know the truth" they say.  Damn the consequences.

Responsibility and accountability often take a backseat to enthusiasm and determination in many so-called "scientists" way of thinking.

These scientists are the same who suggest that the "scientific" studies that were done on humans in Hitler's death camps are in some ways 'justifiable' based on what information was learned from those atrocities.

Of course, in public, these folks will never say that aloud.  In the backrooms and conference labs however,  I have heard actual squeals of excitement over things learned from diabolical endeavors that wouldn't ever be allowed by a supposed moral and ethical society.

Even "Big Science" needs a check and balance.  It requires it's own Jiminy Cricket to sit on it's shoulder telling it when to draw the line and respect that line.

Science without a conscience is nothing more than a serial killer who fancies himself a scholar by doing experiments on his victims.