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The Economic Laws of Scientific Research Paperback – May 15, 1996

by Terence Kealey (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 22 ratings
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'Dr Kealey's brave, entertaining and learned book makes a powerful case for his unpopular views. It must give pause to any open-minded student of science policy.' - R.C.O. Matthews 'Not since J.D. Bernal has a practising British scientist challenged conventional arguments about the funding of science so originally, and so powerfully.' - David Edgerton, Imperial College Does government funding of science promote economic and cultural growth? This burning question has come to dominate political and academic thought. The evidence seems mixed: Japan flourishes economically neglecting science while the USSR and India who actively promoted government-funded science have declined. The purpose of this book is to assess the myth that government-funded science works economically. Supported by historical argument and international contemporary comparison, Terence Kealey argues that the free market approach rather that of state funding has proved by far the most successful in stimulating science and innovation.
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  1. Print length
    394 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    May 15, 1996
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0312173067
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0312173067
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is highly recommended reading or as a reference for anyone in science or technology...."--Dennis L. Feucht, Analogzone
"It is the first book by a practicing scientist to challenge the orthodoxy for decades, and should be read by those who are involved in science or merely wish to promote it." "--Wall Street Journal (Europe)"

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Palgrave Macmillan
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 15, 1996
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1996th
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 394 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312173067
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312173067
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 22 ratings

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Terence Kealey

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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Courtney Minerd
    5.0 out of 5 stars Important Considerations for the Contemporary West
    Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2008
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Kealey's excellent exposition on the driving forces of well-directed science was definitely a text which contradicted many of the conceptions which I have developed over the years through "common wisdom." Effectively, the text is a treatise against the Baconian model of economic growth through which scientific research is the primary cause. In the name of such a model, most contemporary policy-makers and scientists insist that it is the role of government to fund "primary research" in order that applications may be derived from it. While one could definitely take this consideration down the epistemological rabbit hole, Kealey merely lays out the facts and statistics which are ultimately bolstered by common sense.

    The central argument is that market-directed research is the greater impetus for technological and economic progress than centrally-planned research and technology. Through a whole variety of examples and statistics, the author lies out the overall path of technological development in history and how it developed a need for science, thereby connecting scientific research much more directly to the "situation on the ground" of reality, allowing for productivity (and hence capital) growth in the market as it stands. Additionally, he discusses and refutes many of the contemporary arguments about slow-downs being caused by a lack of funding. Once again, statistics are used to explain the general developmental paths of societies, but common sense once again can verify this by the truism that more complex systems are inherently more difficult to grow with haste.

    These remain mere guideposts to Kealey's considerations since the text itself is a comprehensive, yet accessible, historical/statistic reflection on the proper roles of the market and government in scientific research. In an age which ascribes near necessity to the latter and little to the former, this text is an important counter-argument which deserves consideration, in particular because of the strength of its lucid common sense.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Adam Harrison
    5.0 out of 5 stars A thesis that runs counter to the role of the ...
    Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2018
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A thesis that runs counter to the role of the public sector in innovation. Definitely worth a read whether you agree or not.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Daniel Cook
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must read book for anyone who is ...
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2015
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This is a must read book for anyone who is honestly interested in how scientific discoveries are made, not just the stories we tell ourselves about how they are made, but the facts.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Lorene L.
    5.0 out of 5 stars What everyone must know about government-funded research
    Reviewed in the United States on March 11, 2022
    Format: Hardcover
    I read this book when it first came out, and I decided to read it again almost 25 years later. It is on my top 10 list of books that influenced me the most.

    I was just beginning my research career when I first read it, and all these years later, everything Kealey wrote about has been confirmed. The science world in the U.S. was a big disappointment to me. I had dreamed of being a scientist, but something wasn't right. I didn't feel any sense of academic freedom. You must stay in your very narrow little niche, or you won't get a grant. And the grant process is very political (e.g., I was advised to somehow connect my research to AIDS if I wanted a grant). I also witnessed a lot of cheating, even in the so-called higher institutions of learning. Publish or perish--absolutely true.

    Kealey solidly makes his case that science was much better off with private funding and has been essentially ruined by government funding. I long for the days of the "hobby scientists" he discussed. You will recognize the names and excellent work of these scientists. Most of the greats, it seems, did not finish college. Today, it's all about your credentials on paper, and that is certainly no measure of intelligence or imagination. I now realize that when I dreamed of being a scientist, I was dreaming of a science world that no longer existed.

    Why isn't there a cure for cancer after all these years? That would be clear fast to anyone who's spent time in academic research. Can we turn it around? Can we return to the days of private, high-quality science? Can we tax people less so private citizens can fund research? We've done this experiment, and the answer is YES. Now who will have the political will to do it? Seems daunting, but education comes first, so I hope everyone reads Kealey's book. I thank him for writing it!
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • John Park
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Very interesting book
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  • Dan Evens
    5.0 out of 5 stars The best thing that could happen to scientific research
    Reviewed in Canada on August 22, 2014
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Should be very widely read. The best thing that could happen to scientific research, and to pure research in academic context in general, is to get the government out of it.
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