Academy News 1979 No.2

Vol. I No.2, September, 1979 NAST HOLDS First Annual Meeting The National Academy of Science Keynoting the affair was Minister milestone in the history of science in and Technology held its Annual Melecio S. Magno of NSDB and an this country and for that we have to meeting last May 29th, during which Academician himself. (See page 21 thank our distinguished guest this new members to the Academy were Following the Annual Meeting, afternoon, who, as chairman of the elected at the Asian Institute of papers were presented for two days. NSDB, labored hard for the Tourism in Diliman, Quezon City. Climaxing the affair was the investiture Presidential Decree establishing the The Academy, composed of of the New Academicians. National Academy of Science and competent and outstanding scientists Dr. Paulo Campos, President of the Technology. "to serve as a reservoir of scientific and NAST, delivered the following The idea of an academy of scientists technological manpower for the welcome address: have long been nurtured by aUf country," was created in 1978-a year Today our infant Academy holds its scientists and a few concerned later after the signing of PO 1003-A. first annual meeting. Its creation is a (Continued on next page) Investiture of New Academicians At the right is Science Minister The new members as they take their Jose N. Rodriguez, M. D.; Geminiano Melecio S. Magno as he leads the oath, from left are: Eduardo A. de Ocampo, M. D.; Encarnacion oath-taking of the new Academicians Quisumbing, M. D.; Fe Villanueva del Alzona, Ph. D.; Raymundo A. Favila, at the auditorium of the Asian Institute Mundo, M. D.; Jose Encarnacion, Jr., Ph. D. and Francisco Fronda, Ph. D. of Tourism, May '79. Ph. D.; Bienvenido O. Juliano Ph. D.; The Present-Day Commitment of the Scientists By Minister Melecio S. Magno (Keynote address which he imparted to of scientists as brash and boastful .. After about twenty years, the gulf the members of the Academy and guests . that scientists are shallowly separating the literary culture from the attheannualmeetiastMay, 1979, AIT, optimistic, unaware of man's scientific has not only widened but Diliman, Q. C. ) condition. On the other hand, the deepened. What is more apalling, from scientists believe that the literary the point of view of the science intellectuals ere totally lacking in community, is that in many countries of • • • foresight, peculiarly unconcerned the world, many scientists themselves with their brother men, in a deep have developed a mistrust in science sense anti.intellectual, anxious to an increasing doubt that science and Let me start by expressing my restrict both art and thought to the technology can be the principal means profound appreciation to the existential moment," to progress. organizers of this annual meeting and presentation of papers and the members of the National Academy of ANNUAL MEET . , (Continued from page 1) Science and Technology, for giving me this opportunity to be with the most eminent scientist of our country and share with you some thoughts on the statesmen. In fact some years ago an by the President. The members of the state of science today. May I also Academy of Science and the executive committee were appointed congratulate all of you, the Humanities was formed and its roster shortly after. academicians, especially the "National included some of the most respected The process of organization is a little Scientists" , and the newly-elected names in science in our country. For slow; and much of the initial efforts of members of the Academy, for having lack of material support that academy this executive committee were won long-delayed but well-deserved hardly got off the ground. Most of the precisely organizational. recognition by virtue of your scientific men and women who conceived and The function of the Academy has so and lor technological achievements. founded it have since then passed to far been largely ceremonial and Speaking before you I feel in a sense the great beyond or have retired. advisory. The NSDB though, thru what might have been felt by Sir The New Society under our MinisterMelecio S. Magno, has Charles P. Snow lecturing before a beloved President is fully cognizant suggested that the academy be Cambridge audience in the late 1950's. of the importance of human resources charged with the evaluation of In that lecture, which has since in national development; and research programs, and that it should become a well-known book, C.P. particularly the role science and actively participate in the formulation Snow pointedly described what he saw technology play in progressive of Science programs for the country. societies. He has made it, therefore, a as the dangerous splitting into two In this direction, our Academy has polar groups of the intellectual life of part of his gov't. program to provide quietly addressed itself. It initiated and the whole western society. not only incentives for scientists and has since then undertaken a series of It is illuminating to use his own technologists, but likewise to extend to round table conferences on specific words to describe this cleavage: them and their efforts full recognitions scientific problems which have bearing and reward. In 1976 therefore he on national issues. It is publishing a "Literary intellectuals at one promulgated P.O. No. 1003-A creating Newsletter to keep its membership and pole-at the other scientists, and as this Academy and providing among the Science community aware of its the most representative, the physical others a lifetime pension and full undertakings. It has quietly worked for scientists. Between the two a gulf of national recognition for distinguished a more concrete secretarial staff with mutual incomprehension-sometimes men and women of science in our Minister Magno's encouragement and (particularly among the young) country . active support for a more substantial hostility and dislike, but most of all It was not however, till 1977 before budgetary allocation for its programs. lack of understanding. They have a the screening committee for the initial Ladies and Gentlemen, the National curious distorted image of each membership of the academy was Academy of Science and Technology other. Their attitudes are so different formed. This working group submitted welcomes you to this series of that, even on the level of emotion, its recommendations in June 1978; and scientific papers to be shared with you they can't find much common the following month the first 10 by some of ou r most distingu ished ground. Non-scientists tend to think members of the academy were named scientists here and abroad. Page 2 ACADEMY NEWS Thus, science has come under attack by both non-scientists and scientists. The biologist and science writer Adriano Buzzati-Traverso summarizes the criticisms that have been raised against science: 1 Science Minister 111 Science is notevtlbutis too Magno keynoting limited: Many problems of the the first Annual Meet of the world and of men escape NAST, scientific analysis .... 121 The analytical approach of science (reductionism I leads to a distorted sense of reality . .. this approach cannot be used effectively when dealing with complex objects such as living things because the whole is more than the su m of its parts; ... 131 Science is not objective . .. Science, it is claimed, is not objective because it does not their work. To satisfy their personal lSI Science is directly responsible progress "scientifically." Ideas come interest, they may claim it is in the for the majority of the first and data are then used to cause of society when it is not or unapproachable problems of su pport the hypothesis ... As the when its implications may in fact be modem society and also for the ra te progression Kepler-Newton-Einstein malevolent. Similarly, they often try at which they worsen: shows, widely different versions of to justify their applied work on the 191 Science is not neutral. If the truth are all allowable. Moreover, ground that the search for new points 5 to 7 are accepted, then the nature of reality as revealed by knowledge must go on . The conflict science cannot be neutral, and the science is questioned. What particle between detachment and values scientist is responsible for what physicists now have to say about the appears particularly clear in the happens for the use of his nature of matter is clearly a long way social sciences. Is a dispassionate discoveries . .. from "real" reality. They can talk social science possible at all? 110/ Science control people .. only about mathematical 161 A distinction between science 111/ Science has not helped solved abstractions formulated by an and technology is hardly feasible . .. the problems of the developing extreme form of reductionism ... The general law that whatever is countries. Too often the forms of Science does not reveal the "truth" possible is in fact applied means that science and technology used in because it sees only what its scientific activity almost inevitably international aid have carried with techniques allow it to see. Butwhat leads to technology . The distinction them Western values and attitudes, it does see is as valid as the nature of often heard in scientific circles that totally disrupting the societies and the truth revealed by other science is pure and clear of sin, while cu Itu res they have met, without techniques of disciplined inquiry. technology is the culprit, finds no replacing them with any viable Whether it is more valid is debatable. support in today's wo·rld . Both alternative. " 141 Science has become an science and technology are a part of ideology of its own-Scientism. While the fabric of modern society and it I would like to consider a few of recognizing that science is not would be artificial to draw a line these criticisms .

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