Definitely, a victory 小组第4次作业 Issue 69By3号echo（huohuo0101）

huohuo0101UID: 2760840

69"Government should place few, if any, restrictions on scientific research and development"

Should government totally let go of scientific research and development isolating it from mundane demands or should government affiliate the scientific research institutes making them search the truths in ways the government wants. Apparently both approaches go to the extreme. Neither absolute freedom nor restriction promotes the science develop at its most. Government should encourage scientists working on the issues that relate human welfare and put strict restriction on researches that violate moral standard or threatening the world safety. Of course, research process should not be interfered, especially on the purpose trying to alter the research results.


Government is responsible for leading the citizen towards a better society with convenience, good education, guaranteed health system and blossoming labor market. Science and technology is building the bridge. Government put funds to science project which concerns development of society. For example National Nature Science Foundation of china is subordinate to Chinese government, And it directs, coordinates and financially supports basic research and applied basic research. Many significant projects in china like deciphering rice gene receive support from the foundation. The president of a state key lab of neuroscience in my school once said that we are in a time when great science achievement comes out of social needs. If scientist only work in issues out of personal interests, no way our society can progress rapidly. Aside from financial aid, government also set award for scientists who make achievement which benefits human race in short or long term thus to promote development of science.

Government encourages certain researches while puts restrain on some others. Some scientific issues are very tempting for us to uncover the veil like human cloning and human gene optimization. But at the same time, those issues are very controversial. If the experiment were really carried out, many social and philosophical problem would be bound to come along, like what your clone would be, your baby or sibling. So these controversial issues have been prohibited by governments of all countries. Aside from controversial issues, some projects even go further to threaten world safety. Decades ago, several countries competed to build nuclear bombs. The bombs put together can ruin the earth hundreds of time. Today, governments of countries all over the world signed the nuclear-free agreement to stop the bomb research.

No matter what kind of research, government should keep hands off the research process to make sure the credibility and validity and respect the result. Only seeing what is wanted to be seen leads to bad consequences. In history, holding ambition to conduct the genocide, Hitler government propagated the distorted research result of Francis Galton, a psychologist, to justify his evil motivation and act. Galton pioneered in the field of eugenics asserting that good talents can be inherited in families or races.

In sum, government should encourage researches promoting development of society, and put strict restrain on research concerning controversial issues or threatening the safety. But government would not interfere with the research process and misuse the research results.