I went to the “Science is Vital” demonstration, in the street outside the Treasury building. It was a good crowd: perhaps about 2000 people, mostly scientists, mostly young. We were there to do a bit of protesting about the expected 20% or 30% cuts in research funding.
As you might expect, no rocks were thrown. I was happy (and perhaps even a bit proud) that the speeches weren’t rabble-rousing table thumpers. They had the characteristically scientific care to stick close to the truth. But we listened to speeches, clapped, sang a bit (rather badly), and chanted a bit (not for very long, but fairly well).
Nobody was saying that the government owed us anything. The theme was that science is there to help the economy and help people. Not to diminish the contribution of engineers and businessmen, but almost everything you use today originated in someone’s research lab. If we learn some science, you can use it forever: it’s a long-term investment and a good one.
In this modern age of finances and economics, I feel somehow embarrassed to claim that I do science for the public good. Oh, not entirely: it’s a fun job, it suits me, and it pays the rent. But, yeah, improving life and civilization is a big part of my motivation, and part of the motivation for most scientists. (After all, most students are smart enough to figure out that scientists rarely become rich. The students who are primarily motivated by money presumably filter off to other careers when they notice that fact.)
Anyhow, the fact is that if we stop doing science, we (as a civilized species) will be in trouble. Diseases will mutate, resources will become exhausted, and environmental problems will appear. The world will change, whether we want it to or not, and science is an important part of being ready for whatever Mother nature throws at us. Also, without science, future generations will be stuck with the same technological problems we have today. They’ll have to suffer with teeth that have cavities, and then fillings that fail mysteriously and painfully 20 years later. They’ll have to deal with ill-understood and misbehaving financial markets. They will have to sort their socks. Without scientific research, the sock-sorting will go on forever; with science, there is hope. 😉