Science

Should the public vote on major scientific projects (like space telescopes or nuclear reactors)?

For

Citizens pay taxes and deserve a say.

Against

Science decisions require expert knowledge, not opinions.

Anonymous excerpts, translated where noted.

For

  • Selecting elite experts to control major projects can become an inherently authoritarian process.
    RedditOriginal language: English
  • An expert class may gain power and then focus only on its own interests.
    RedditOriginal language: English

Against

  • rules governing how a field should operate ought to be written by people who understand the field.
    RedditOriginal language: English
  • Democratic popularity does not substitute for technical expertise when evaluating complex scientific projects.
    RedditOriginal language: English
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