First session this morning at #ISHPSSB19: an interesting discussion, moderated by Karen Kastenhofer & @nikivermeulen on engagement of (social) scientists with systems biology and the interplay between funding and research priorities.
Recent waves of scientific fashions have driven funding priorities from systems biology to synthetic biology and now to AI-based approaches. This trend points away from understanding living systems to control and prediction without understanding. /1
There is also a recent trend to integrate responsible research and innovation #RRI research into scientific projects. Is this a good thing? /2
On the one hand, #RRI allows social scientists and philosophers to have a real impact on research ethics. On the other hand, they can be misused as a “lubrication approach to research ethics.” Rationalisation instead of true engagement with underlying motifs and practices. /3
It seems cynical to me to engage philosophers and social scientists in justifying the completely idiotic priorities of research funders (and those scientists that profit from that system). What would be a better model for a truly meaningful interaction of #RRI and research? /4
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