The Tragedy of American Science

From Truman to Trump

De: Clifford D. Conner

Narrado por: Victor Bevine

The tragedy of American science is that its direction is determined by private profit rather than by the desire to improve the human condition. As a result, Conner argues, Big Science has been irredeemably corrupted by Big Money. This corruption threatens the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the medicines we take.

The Tragedy of American Science explores how the US economy’s addiction to military spending distorts and deforms science by making it overwhelmingly subservient to military interests. The primary motive driving American science and technology has become the search for new and more efficient ways to kill people. This transforms science from the classic ideal of a creative force for the advancement of humankind into its destructive and antihuman opposite. That those trillions of dollars in resources and scientific talent are not devoted to solving the problems of poverty, disease, and environmental destruction is one of the greatest tragedies of our times.

While the underlying problems may appear intractable, Conner compellingly argues that replacing the current science-for-profit system with a science-for-human-needs system is not an impossible, utopian dream. But to get there, we’ll need to grapple with this important history.

©2020 Clifford D. Conner (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

you can't handle the truth

I don't write reviews but I feel this subject is one of critical importance and that we as a country need to pay attention. we are already well behind other countries in real research and technology..the current handling of the pandemic is a US disaster and has made this painfully apparent. this is a well written, well spoken overview on how our capitalistic quest for money and power have overriden our quest for the truth. I also worked in the engineering defense industry mil complex off and on for 30 years and watched the steady decline of scientific research turn to pure advocacy and quest to just make money at any cost. if you want to find the truth...you have to truly search for it.

He preaches Science but describes only Conspiracy.

This could have been an important and valuable contribution to the vital discussion of the loss of the reliability of Science in the US. Instead we get a steady stream of conspiracy without much science at all. I probably agree with the underlying theme but this is a poor presentation of the evidence. Data over opinion is the way to make a point, this I breathless wordsmithing.