by Throughout our readings in this week’s unit of STS, we read about the relationship that exists between science and democracy. In the current era of the United States, the scientific community can play a key role in conducting research and gathering information that can help our congress create effective policy. The U.S. Government also funds scientific research institutes across the country that investigate countless areas of science. This investment helps not only to extend research efforts, but also to help provide the general public with information of accurate, reliable scientific discoveries, which helps limit potential instances of pseudoscience and false information in our society. In this current day, there are examples of the scientific community and the U.S. government working together to help better our country. One example of this is the work of the scientific community and the government in creating effective policy and regulations in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Another example is the work of scientists to help aid the government in understanding the current issue of global climate change. Both of these pressing issues face the challenges of being verified and delivered to the general public as a dire matter, as well as navigating politics and misinformation in order to be handled.
Since the coronavirus’s initial impact in the United States earlier this year, a magnitude of research centers and schools have been working tirelessly to gain more information on the virus, its likeliness to be spread, and how to potentially develop a cure. The most publicized factor of research is the effectiveness of masks against the spread of coronavirus. While there is a general consensus amongst the scientific community of how effective masks are, there is a great amount of disagreement amongst the state level, specifically in southern and primarily Republican areas. The lack of universal agreement amongst state politicians and the creation of policy (such as a national mask mandate) shows that there is still a disconnect between science and democracy. This rift is extended when the misinformation regarding the coronavirus is able to be circulated as true “science”. Anti Makers are able to spread information with no credible research or data, which both misleads the public and makes policy enactment even slower in various levels of government. During the coronavirus pandemic, we have seen the roles of science and government in our country, and the lack of policy created despite accurate science shows how each section works against each other.
Global climate change is another crisis in which there is almost universal agreement that the release of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere is changing and harming our planet. Recorded increasing temperatures, severe weather, and large storms have been evidence cited in climate change research that calls for policy implementation, yet the current administration has pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord, which would help to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change deniers are also able to spread misinformation despite actual scientific evidence pointing towards a growing problem. Because freedom is a two way street, our democracy allows these platforms to spread their “science” in society without being held to a level of credibility. Due to this reckless “science”, I believe the government needs to play a bigger role in communicating with the scientific community and ensuring the publication of real, accurate information.
We are currently faced with the coronavirus pandemic and climate change as two pressing issues of science and democracy being intertwined. Unfortunately, in both instances, science is being pushed to the side in the name of politics and biased interests. Instead of listening to our scientific leaders, our government is neglecting their calls for active policy creation and allowing for misinformation and pseudoscience to exist within our country. However, because of the freedom that we are granted in this country, the spread of false science is not only allowed, but is a constitutional right. When it comes to scientific research and investigation, I believe that there must be limitations on the spread of inaccurate information in order to better educate the public of pressing issues. If the government can work more effectively with the scientific community, I believe that it will be beneficial for the scientific community, all levels of government, and the general public.