Dueling Visions for Science

摘要

A clash is under way in washington, dc, between two starkly different visions for the u.s. government's role in research and development (R&D). The outcome of this debate will shape the nation's scientific landscape for years to come.The first vision is a grim and pessimistic "No, we can't" view. Its proponents insist that the federal government can play no substantive role in advancing science or technology. The argument is that the government has been ineffective, that "investment" is a code word for wasteful spending, and that the only way forward is for the government to lower its sights, stop making new investments, and scale back spending.