The Public Relations of Science*

Abstract

UNTIL recently the attitude of the public toward science seemed to be growing more appreciative. There have always been folk who objected strenuously to the supposed implications of certain scientific hypotheses, but on the whole science was generally esteemed the most progressive factor in culture, man's best hope for bettering his lot upon earth. Of late this tide of approval has ebbed. There is a widespread disposition to hold science responsible for the ills men are bringing upon themselves—for technological employment, for the rise of autocracies, for the suppression of freedom, for the heightened horrors of war. For their part, scientific men are appalled at the hideous uses to which their discoveries are put. They feel an urge to combat the misuses of science, to protect the social values they cherish, but what they can do is not clear. The quandary is one that all who cherish science should face, however unwelcome and difficult the task.