The question regarding the journal is -- not whether dialogue is possible, but what are its boundaries. Critical reflections of science are often regarded as criticism of science itself. But is it possible to converse beyond disciplines without naming it ‘anti’? If not, then does it mean scientists want to control what science means to them?” asked Sundar Sarukkai, Professor of Philosophy, National Institute of Advanced Studies who was part of a panel discussion at symposium that launched the new interdisciplinary journal of Indian Academy of Sciences (IASc). The programme ‘Dialogue: Science, Scientists and Society’ had presentations by scientists Roddam Narasimha, P. Balaram and Mukund Thattai. Responding to the speakers, he further added, “as processes in society and environment are more complex than in science, scientists need to make definitions of science as part of the larger narrative.”
Reflecting on science P. Balaram, Shiv Visvanathan, Roddam Narasimha and Sundar Sarukkai
Taking it further, social scientist Shiv Visvanathan posed the question: “Is doing good science necessarily mean doing democratically well?” “It need not at all times be true. There has come a time when scientific and democratic experiments need to meet. A scientific theory can only be validated by the degree of citizenship it beholds in a person,” he explained. Responding to P. Balaram’s remarks, Visvanathan said, “I agree, science is fun, but the story does not end there; science has the accountability to allow the functioning of democracy in its definitions.”
Answering a question from the audience on the responsibility of scientists towards society, Visvanathan stated, “scientists are crucial to the society, for instance to cease the erasure of knowledge systems by the dominant narrative of science itself. There were such scientists in the past like Amulya K.N. Reddy and C.V. Seshadri for whom science meant being of service to one’s neighbourhood and the larger cosmos. Experiments in science for them also simultaneously meant experiments in personal, civic and global spaces.”
Speaking on the mutual obligations of Science, Society and State, Roddam Narasimha, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research observed, “as most of the eminent science and higher education institutions are state funded, they by default owe certain adherence to the state. State in turn needs to consider not only research projects that have immediate application, but also those whose application might be unknown today.” In order to elaborate on the obligation of Science to society, Professor Narasimha recalled Vikram Sarabhai’s vision of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He said, “Sarabhai wanted Space to be used for the welfare of society. Therefore unlike space centres of other countries that chiefly work in the area of defence, ours is unique and we need to be proud that it is.”
Responding to the presentation by Prof. Narasimha on the nature of obligations, Visvanathan asserted, “scientists need to think beyond mere obligations to various agents. Some of the contemporary Constitutional experiments, for me, are stunning scientific experiments, like including Nature as a legal person in the Constitution, but sadly our scientists haven’t found interest in such developments.”
Professor Mukund Thattai, National Centre for Biological Sciences spoke on the communication of science, its ways and role. Mukund urged that science has to be communicated in interesting and effective ways like drama, storytelling and painting. He shared his experiences of collaborating with Welcome Trust, UK and a conceptual artist from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology. “Recreation of the smell of rain employing E-coli bacteria and the artistic portrayal of the pattern of movement of microbes under the microscope attracted not just recognition from different parts of the world but these have led to better appreciation of experiments by scientists themselves,” he claimed.
BANGALORE, 11/02/2011: P. Balaram, Director, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), in Bangalore. Photo: K. Gopinathan 11/02/11
If Prof. Narasimha drew the connections between Science, State and Society, Mukund showed how the engagement of science, humanities and arts would contribute to the richer understanding and appreciation of each field. If Mukund was all for being in communication with the public of what a scientist carries out, P. Balaram, Former Director, IASc. cautioned of its redundancy as common people were already bombarded with too much of information by the media and internet. Prof. Balaram interestingly challenged, “how to make sense of a survey where 80 per cent of the general public oppose genetically modified food in the US, whereas the percentage of opposition from the scientific community is as low as 20?”
Visvanathan argued, “Communication is one-sided and hegemonic. In order to know what kind of science or technology is required for the society, a scientist has to treat a craftsman, a tribal or a farmer as his contemporary and an expert and not his consumer.” At the end of discussions, Mukund confessed, “to realise that science needs to be transparent has taken a lot for a scientist like me. I understand there is a long way to go for us.”
For Sarukkai and Visvanathan, the engagement of science with society is not just communication, but has to do with the very understanding of science and its implications on the social and ecological sphere. The symposium on Science and Society along with raising opportunities and challenges that the interdisciplinary journal would pose, marked the beginning of reflections on science in the social context by one of the leading science institutes of the country.
***
Announcing the journal, Amitabh Joshi, the Editor of Publications, IASc said, “the journal has wider scope than the other traditional journals that the academy has been publishing.”
Launching the online journal, Ram Ramaswamy, President, IASc, observed, “there was a dire need for a scholarly journal in India that discussed both theoretical aspects of science and the concerns arising from it. Subjects that relate to Science and Technology are matters of concern to policy related issues like migration, climate change etc. If the Dialogue portal is where the papers are published, we have designed a separate page named ‘Confluence’ where informal discussions on the relevant subjects can be discussed,” he said.
Detailing the contents and scope of the journal, Mewa Singh, Chief Editor of the journal stated, “the broad themes of the journal would be practice, communication, shaping and impact of science. Unlike other scientific journals, this one is open to accept submissions which do not conform to the standard scientific format.”
“The first issue of the journal will be released in January. That is when the website will also be functional,” he said.
