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Ike's "military industrial" complex speech, on federal research

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JonQ Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Wed Dec-02-09 02:19 PM
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Ike's "military industrial" complex speech, on federal research
Everyone knows this bit:

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

But a few sentences later he states:

Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.

The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present – and is gravely to be regarded.

Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.

http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ike.htm

Do you think his admonishment to fear collusion between public policymakers and scientific elites be as well heeded as his advice to fear a military industrial partnership?
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