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Today, the ability to innovate is an essential factor in survival for individuals, firms and nations. Although it is true that development cannot and must not be halted, it is not always easy to adapt to change or manage its consequences within a framework of global equity that ensures real progress shared by all. The discoveries of basic research are being transformed every more rapidly into applications that modify the organization of society and production, as well as individual patterns of life and thought. But advances in knowledge do not always produce tangible benefits for everyone. The path of innovation is more fraught than ever with ethical, economic and political choices, which call for a closer relationship between researchers and decision-makers. Such links must also seek to guarantee equal opportunities to all and ensure that an improvement in the quality of life of a few does not increase inequality at the global level. |
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Science and Humanity: History has shown that "scientific societies"
make major contributions to humanity by acquiring and applying useful knowledge. |
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