What is the purpose of scientific research?
During the coming year I will be exploring different career and project opportunities that could contribute to improving the scientific research system. As a first step, I here make an attempt to formulate more clearly what “better science” could look like. On an abstract level, there seem to be two competing worldviews around. One is a consequentialist, welfarist, aim and the other is focused on the intrinsic value of knowledge.
The first view can be phrased as follows:
“Better science is science that more effectively improves the lives of sentient beings.”
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