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Knowledge and Politics

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From Stars to States

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Astronomy ((BRIEFSASTRON))

Abstract

It is crucial to acquire the knowledge we need if society is to evolve in a good way. But knowledge alone cannot guarantee a better future for humanity. From it we still need to deduce what action is necessary and put it into practice. If knowledge is to bear fruit it must be brought to the political and economic scene, the spheres where decisions are made about the future of our society.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    “Science, the endless frontier”, a report to the president on a program for postwar research by V. Bush, 1945.

  2. 2.

    Statutes of the Société helvétique des sciences naturelles agreed in Berne on 3, 4, and 5 October 1816 and voted in Zurich on 6 October 1817; cited by Kupper and Schär, “Une organisation simple et sans prétention”, in Les Naturalistes, A la découverte de la Suisse et du monde 18002015, Ed. Hier und Jetzt Baden 2015, p. 295.

  3. 3.

    See, for example, Planting the future: opportunities and challenges for using crop genetic improvement technologies for sustainable agriculture, EASAC policy report 21, June 2013.

  4. 4.

    The author was educated in a strong Calvinist tradition. He studied theoretical physics and contributed to astrophysical research for more than three decades. He is active in the world of academies of science in Switzerland and Europe. So many elements that will influence what you are reading right now.

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Correspondence to Thierry J.-L. Courvoisier .

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Courvoisier, T.JL. (2017). Knowledge and Politics. In: From Stars to States. SpringerBriefs in Astronomy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59232-9_6

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