[Dean's World] Dean: The Broken Science Funding System

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Dean:
The Broken Science Funding System
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1178500209.shtml


   Professor Donald W. Miller Jr. of the University of Washington School
   of Medicine is singing my song. Juicy quote:

     A scientistâs most pressing need, which supersedes the scientific
     pursuit of truth, is to get her grant fundedâ-to pay her salary and
     that of her staff, to pay department bills, and to obtain academic
     promotion. The safest way to generate grants is to avoid any
     dissent from orthodoxy. Grant-review study sections whose membersâ
     expertise and status are tied to the prevailing view do not welcome
     any challenge to it. A scientist who writes a grant proposal that
     dissents from the ruling paradigm will be left without a grant.
     Speaking for his fellow scientists Pollack writes, "We have evolved
     into a culture of obedient sycophants, bowing politely to the high
     priests of orthodoxy."

   Read the rest [1]right here.

References

   1. http://barnesworld.blogs.com/barnes_world/2007/04/donald_w_miller.html