Logic, methodology and philosophy of science VIII proceedings of the eighth international congress of logic, methodology and philosophy of science, and philosophy of science proceedings) ( PDFDrive ) 41

22 P FEDOSEYEV scientific knowledge, for knowledge of a certain kind and content, on society’s readiness to support science directly or indirectly: to finance research, to encourage scientific activity morally and materially, etc Today this circumstance becomes particularly significant Today research often requires gigantic material outlays, technical means and large teams of scientists It is quite clear that modem society is not inclined to look as an outsider at what the scientists are doing, in which direction science is progressing, and what sort of knowledge it produces The question concerns the functions of science in the social being of people rather than the direct determination of the results of scientific research by society It is a question of the role which science as a whole and various aspects of scientific activity play in the multifaceted life of society, and of the demands to which science responds in one way or another, and which therefore determine its development In current philosophical studies much more attention is paid to the analysis and role of natural science in society’s social and intellectual life There are many reasons for that They include the orientation of society’s present-day rapid technical and technological advance, environmental protection for the sake of the forthcoming generations, and many other global problems linked with the rational use of the sources of man’s existence and development, primarily the overcoming of the atomic challenge to civilisation Humanised science, developing as an organic part of the activity of life, plays not only the most important practical and technological role but begins to play an ever more important direct socio-cultural role I would like to stress here that in today’s culture, essential importance is attached to the methods, specific to science, of obtaining universally significant knowledge about the world: intellectual, but non-violent, compelling arguments, criticism, democratism, historical experience in dialogues in search for the truth, etc This side of the matter is directly related to humanising the social connections of science and to the question of the influence of science on society This point of view makes it clear that as social and cultural institution, and as a type of public activity, science exerts its ever more pronounced impact on society In its essence science is intolerant of otiosity and stagnation, the antipodes of progress Neither does it accept subjectivism and voluntarism which are incompatible with the recognition of objective truth From this point of view it becomes evident that science as a social and cultural institution, as a form of consciousness and social activity, has an increasingly great impact on society