Bill Foster's win on Saturday got me thinking again about the idea of scientists playing a larger role in actually creating and deciding policy. Anybody familiar with the work of Kim Stanley Robinson should be familiar with a recurring theme in his work - the idea that scientists, or at least those with a scientific or engineering background, logically should be the ones calling the shots.
It's an idea that I think has a lot of merit and one which deserves a lot more exploration. Science is inextricably woven into the very fabric of our lives in every conceivable way. Our modern world is almost entirely a creation of a multitude of scientists and engineers. Why shouldn't the architects of that world have a greater say in deciding its direction?
This started for me as a curiosity that I asked myself after Bill Foster's win - how many scientists are there in Congress anyway? - but even in this short span of time has grown into something substantially more. My curiosity has grown into thoughts of organization and activism. And a diary that started as a relatively simple synopsis of the few other Congressman-scientists has now expanded beyond that, including thoughts of organization and activism.
I still intend to write (or rather, finish) a diary that describes the Congressman-scientist currently serving, but I also now intend to write diaries to brainstorm and explore the various methods we could pursue to actually make science and scientists a greater voice and force within public policy, such as encouraging the creation of a Scientists' Caucus within Congress and recruiting more scientists to run for public office.
But for now, I'll leave it at a relatively simple statement of principles:
I believe that a sound and thorough understanding of scientific principles and fields is vital to proper and responsible judgment in the formation and direction of public policy. I believe that this country and this world would be better off if scientists and engineers had a greater and more direct role in the decisions that affect all of us and the planet that we all depend upon. I believe that science, while not always providing a unified voice, provides a unified method for discovering the truth and working towards practical solutions and that this method should be applied to public decision making.
Please, comment and offer your thoughts, tips, criticisms, and anything else you'd like to share.