Innocent reflections on science and technology policy

This essay explores one scholar's serendipitous wandering into the world of science and technology policy and suggests that such an idiosyncratic and opportunistic path is probably not really unusual. The paper explores why a historian/philosopher of science has something of value to say on the subject and why science and technology policy matters. I contend that we need more and a broader range of academics to think about science and technology policy and to engage in policy-making action, that we will be better off as a society if we do, and that this innocent-seeming claim should not be seen as entirely non-controversial. Furthermore, I argue that historians and philosophers of science-at least some, but not all, historians and philosophers of science-can effectively join scientists in communicating science to a broader audience, and that this is essential to promoting effective science and technology policy.