CONFIDENCE IN 



SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



The subjects discussed in the three preceding chapters, funding, freedom, 

 and the vitality of the research enterprise, are all internal to the research 

 system itself. The fourth subject is different; it has to do with the way in 

 which persons outside the research system regard that system. As many 

 respondents see it, in recent years both the public and government have lost 

 confidence in research and those who perform it, and therefore are less willing 

 to provide the support they require. In fact, nearly all the problems that the 

 respondents reported, and which the preceding chapters have discussed, were 

 thought to be due, at least in part, to this change in attitude toward science and 

 technology. Therefore, this becomes quite a fundamental concern. 



This chapter is divided into two parts. Part I presents the views of the 

 respondents, and is much the same as the preceding chapters. It discusses 

 separately the loss of confidence on the part of the public and on the part of 

 government, as the respondents see it, and attempts to bring out the relation 

 between the two. Some of the explanations that were offered for this change in 

 attitude are also shown, as well as some of its consequences. Another section 

 discusses the remedy most often suggested for this problem, an educational 

 program undertaken by the scientific community in order to communicate 

 better with the public and government and convince them of the value of basic 

 research. 



Part II gives a summary presentation of the results of recent opinion 

 surveys concerned with the public's attitudes toward science and technology. 

 The purpose of this is to show what other information is available on the 

 question of whether a recent loss of public confidence has occurred. The 

 complexity of the public's attitudes in this area and the limitations in the 

 available data are also brought out. 



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