The Cultural War Within Science Threatens Fundamental Research
By
Alex Tabarrok
A bagel you'd recommend to a friend without hedging.
Summary
This article discusses the tension between cultural/political battles in science policy and the importance of maintaining strong fundamental scientific research. The author agrees with Kevin Bryan's critique that focusing on cutting funds from DEI-driven professors in small departments, rather than protecting world-class fundamental science, is misguided. The piece criticizes "right-wing JD-brain" policymakers who lack laboratory experience and don't understand how major breakthroughs (AI, cancer treatments) actually came about, framing the cultural war within science as a form of civil war that threatens scientific progress.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIf you think 'cut funds from DEI-driven professors in the small departments no one cares about' is more important than 'make sure the world's strongest fundamental science continues', you're an idiot.
This is also the policy of 'right-wing JD-brain' folks. They haven't worked in a lab.
They don't know how we got AI, and recent cancer breakthroughs, and on and on. It's all culture war.
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