I read with great interest the comments by Ricki Lewis on the problems of conveying science news to the general public [The Scientist, Nov. 25, 1996, page 11]. It concerns me that we have a scientifically illiterate society that cannot make sound public policy choices that directly affect them. Researchers and journalists must share the burden of educating the general public on issues of science.
The traditional goal of science, the pursuit of knowledge, has become more broad within the last decade. The growing partnerships between scientists and entrepreneurs have focused not only on the pursuit of knowledge but also on its application in the marketplace. However, scientists, who assert that "society benefits" from these applications, should not forget that competing moral and social values exist outside the laboratory. In light of this, researchers have a responsibility to both the scientific community and the general public in helping make broad ...
