Today there are many complaints over the politicization of science.Many people believe politics should not play a role in science, butonce government funds science, the funding decisions become political.In most social institutions, disagreements are settled by debate.Science in contrast, uses experiments to prove or disprove theories.Science is testable, and is self-proving. If a better explanation for aphenomenon is found, it will replace other explanations. This is whycareful distinctions must be made between Frontier Science, ConsensusScience, and Junk Science.

Many difficult controversies surround the environmental problems weface in the world today. Problems include: Air and water pollution,global warming, species and ecosystem biodiversity, energy, hazardouswaste, population, and food supply issues. Politics control thefinancing of scientific research and development to help solve theseissues. In politics passion wins over logic.

Science is not politics and cannot be debated in the same waypolitics are. Mixing politics with science produces bad science.Government efforts to fund research interfere with the maintenance ofhigh scientific standards. The current Congress consists of 535members. Of these members, 7 (1.3%), are scientists, and 21 others arehealthcare professionals.

write a 1-2 page response to the questions that follow. Remember to cite your sources using proper APA format.

Do you feel that scientists should be cut out of the policy makingprocess, particularly on environmental issues, when their research isproven and widely accepted and is being ignored and disputed?Politicians ultimately make the decisions, but shouldn’t thescientists have a voice?

Do you feel that lobbyists and special interest groups exert toogreat of an influence and act as an impediment to finding solutionsto, and providing the funding for, research for the environmentalproblems we face?