Methodological Challenges of the Commercialization of Scientific Research Martin Carrier (Bielefeld University)

My field is the philosophy of science. My work is directed at understanding how scientific knowledge gain proceeds. Science is a human creation, but it has developed unanticipated features and unfolded a dynamical evolution that is not under-stood immediately. My work is devoted to studying the relationship between science and values. Epistemic or cognitive values express the commit- ment of science to the quest for understanding and truth. Economic values commit science to contribute to increasing utility. Four types of values are relevant for science: epistemic, economic, ethical, and social values.

Question what the application pressure does to science. Application-oriented research proceeds in a framework of conflicting epistemic and utilitarian values. Problems are selected according to their practical relevance, and not for epistemic reasons, and these problems are rather imposed on science by social forces. => The goal is to analyze epistemic features of scientific knowledge that is produced under application pressure. (i) Example of such a problem: Can “demand-driven” research that proceeds from the social urgency of problems and performs targeted investigations on these narrowly delineated problems be successful at all?

(ii) Social impact of a research agenda produced by economic values. Addressing economically promising areas is not always in the best interest of those concerned by the research. (iii) Problem of bias: Scientists make judgments in a one-sided and partisan way when commercial interests are at stake. Objectivity in the traditional sense of detached neutrality can hardly be implemented in areas where the stakes are high and extra-scien- tific interests are strong.

An alternative notion of objec- tivity that can preserve many features of the traditional idea draws upon pluralism and recip- rocal control. In sum: I try to find out what the pressure of practice does to science and its epistemic mission, and I also seek to clarify how this emphasis on the practical achievements of science affects society. The interrelation between different sorts of values is supposed to elucidate how science and society interact with each other.