Letter: We need philosophers

From Jonathan Latham

Simon Singh believes scientists do not need philosophers in the same way that birds do not need ornithologists (4 December 2004, p 23). He could not be more wrong. Birds do need ornithologists, and it takes a peculiarly narrow view of birds’ interests to imagine that they do not. They need them because, without expert protection, many bird species are headed for extinction.

For a similar reason scientists need philosophers and sociologists. Scientists, like birds, live in a complex social and political world inhabited by other groups with wider agendas. These groups constantly seek to divert funding, influence committees and discredit individuals, organisations, research findings and ideas, both within science and outside it. These often powerful, well-financed, highly motivated and self-interested groups (think of the tobacco lobby, for example) operate in almost every field of science. Distressingly, they often succeed in aligning science and unwary scientists with a particular agenda or product. The long-term effect of this has been to bring science into disrepute.

Sociologists and philosophers of science can help researchers understand the realities of this complex environment and recognise the tactics used by lobbyists and others. They can show, for example, that scientists often have poorly defined notions of scientific objectivity, independence, balance and caution, yet are extremely sensitive to any transgression of the boundaries of proper scientific behaviour. As a consequence it can be relatively easy to sway scientific opinion against a troublesome critic by manipulating the use of such words.

Ultimately, we all need to know how social and financial power play out in the scientific realm and to understand how to ensure that the needs of different groups can contribute proportionately and democratically. But to do this scientists will need to collaborate constructively with philosophers and sociologists in an atmosphere of mutual respect rather than mutual disdain.

Ledbury, Herefordshire, UK