The Universal Values of Science and China's Nobel Prize Pursuit

Cong Cao

doi:10.1007/s11024-014-9249-y

The Universal Values of Science and China's Nobel Prize Pursuit

Cong Cao^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publication › Article › peer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

China does not seem to believe the existence of universally acknowledged values in science and fails to promote the observation of such values that also should be applied to every member of the scientific community and at all times. Or, there is a separation between the practice of science in China and the values represented by modern science. In this context, science, including the pursuit of the Nobel Prize, is more a pragmatic means to achieve the end of the political leadership - the national pride in this case - than an institution laden with values that govern its practices. However, it is the recognition and respect of the latter that could lead to achievement of the former, rather than the other way around.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	141-160
Number of pages	20
Journal	Minerva
Volume	52
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11024-014-9249-y
Publication status	Published - Jan 2014
Externally published	Yes

Free Keywords

China
Nobel Prize
Science
Values

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education
Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
General Social Sciences

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10.1007/s11024-014-9249-y

Cite this

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title = "The Universal Values of Science and China's Nobel Prize Pursuit",

abstract = "China does not seem to believe the existence of universally acknowledged values in science and fails to promote the observation of such values that also should be applied to every member of the scientific community and at all times. Or, there is a separation between the practice of science in China and the values represented by modern science. In this context, science, including the pursuit of the Nobel Prize, is more a pragmatic means to achieve the end of the political leadership - the national pride in this case - than an institution laden with values that govern its practices. However, it is the recognition and respect of the latter that could lead to achievement of the former, rather than the other way around.",

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author = "Cong Cao",

note = "Funding Information: There is still top-down, bureaucratic, and sometimes political interference through science planning. Indeed, the organization of the strategic weapons programs in the 1950s and 1960s under the planned economy has left a legacy for China{\textquoteright}s science and technology. The 15-year MLP represents the most recent effort in this regard. The planning mentality is most reflected in setting up research priorities, mobilizing resources, and giving preference to big science at the expense of individual-investigator-based endeavors. At the operational level, bureaucrats rather than scientists channel research funding, often on the basis of guanxi rather than peer review, to mediocre scientists and to projects that might have political visibility. The political leadership also utilizes its influence to promote certain lines of research or directly allocate funds under its discretion to certain projects, as in the cases of hybrid rice and biochips, which received the funding from the Premier{\textquoteright}s Fund directly and even several times (Poo 2004; Rao, Lu and Tsou 2004).",

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doi = "10.1007/s11024-014-9249-y",

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T1 - The Universal Values of Science and China's Nobel Prize Pursuit

AU - Cao, Cong

N1 - Funding Information: There is still top-down, bureaucratic, and sometimes political interference through science planning. Indeed, the organization of the strategic weapons programs in the 1950s and 1960s under the planned economy has left a legacy for China’s science and technology. The 15-year MLP represents the most recent effort in this regard. The planning mentality is most reflected in setting up research priorities, mobilizing resources, and giving preference to big science at the expense of individual-investigator-based endeavors. At the operational level, bureaucrats rather than scientists channel research funding, often on the basis of guanxi rather than peer review, to mediocre scientists and to projects that might have political visibility. The political leadership also utilizes its influence to promote certain lines of research or directly allocate funds under its discretion to certain projects, as in the cases of hybrid rice and biochips, which received the funding from the Premier’s Fund directly and even several times (Poo 2004; Rao, Lu and Tsou 2004).

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N2 - China does not seem to believe the existence of universally acknowledged values in science and fails to promote the observation of such values that also should be applied to every member of the scientific community and at all times. Or, there is a separation between the practice of science in China and the values represented by modern science. In this context, science, including the pursuit of the Nobel Prize, is more a pragmatic means to achieve the end of the political leadership - the national pride in this case - than an institution laden with values that govern its practices. However, it is the recognition and respect of the latter that could lead to achievement of the former, rather than the other way around.

AB - China does not seem to believe the existence of universally acknowledged values in science and fails to promote the observation of such values that also should be applied to every member of the scientific community and at all times. Or, there is a separation between the practice of science in China and the values represented by modern science. In this context, science, including the pursuit of the Nobel Prize, is more a pragmatic means to achieve the end of the political leadership - the national pride in this case - than an institution laden with values that govern its practices. However, it is the recognition and respect of the latter that could lead to achievement of the former, rather than the other way around.

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KW - Nobel Prize

KW - Science

KW - Values

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The Universal Values of Science and China's Nobel Prize Pursuit

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