Sci&Tech History

Does scientist has nationality? The Numb3rs serial I watched yesterday, triggered this question. In the episode, a colleague of Charlie Eppes (professor in Math) has been arrested since he sent a formula that can be used to alleviate poverty to Pakistan university. The conflict occur when the US federal agency arrest him with accusation sent a classified document abroad. The case makes me wonder, who own the science? Do we conduct research for the sake of human being or only for the institution/country we work with? Is it wrong to let somebody die in other part of the world by knowing that we don’t have any relative with them? A more fundamental question: are human fox for their kind or an angel?

Learning on competitiveness makes me think that growth occur with sacrificies. To support certain countries, other countries has to suffer. Natural exploitation, outsourcing, cheap labour are thing common in develop/under development countries, while high payment with safety standard can be found in the First World. An ironic part of this inequality is the international agencies role to make the situation stable. What should the development world do? Is it possible to make another part, rather following the development path proposed by the Fisrt countries and international agencies?

Maybe what I am saying is out of the title I proposed above. Scientist have their own world, legitimize by university rankings, number of publications, how often a scientist follows international conference etc. The culture imply unversality of science. In order to be well recognize in (international) scientific community you hav to shar your knowledge through papers (sometimes you even have to pay in order to publish your thought), but does the standard promote nation development? Does research conducted in the university promote/support national competitiveness?

I doubt it! Different situation, different initial condition, yet different impact.

Post to: delicious, Digg, ma.gnolia, Stumbleupon