Science and citizenship Ingots of words
At the time of this writing is the hundredth anniversary of the creation of the Board for Advanced Studies (JAE), unanimously considered the most experienced modernization of English science. On 15 January 1907 JAE fertile career began under the presidency of Santiago Ramon y Cajal who, just a month earlier, had received the Nobel Prize.
The JAE was born in Ecuador of a stellar moment, which Lain is referred to as "the Middle Golden Age of English culture, covering from 1880 until fracture of the Civil War. " It was a period of great people, thinkers and scientists, and much of the success of the JAE was due to bind succeeded on these scholars to an enthusiastic group of disciples of the stature of Blas Cabrera, Enrique Moles, Rey Pastor. ..-, generating a critical mass of scientists and a strong spirit of renewal, for example, the university got first included research among its priorities.
is well known that the JAE, which in 1939 became the current National Research Council (CSIC) - created numerous research centers, facilitated training of our young scientists abroad and brought down some of the barriers that isolated the English science and culture around the world. But also, and perhaps here lies the main achievement of the JAE-succeeded in undermining the topic and impoverishing binomial science against the humanities, bringing together thinkers and scientists around a common enterprise: a great deal of innovation and progress, following universal axes of science, culture and education. Science
for responsible citizenship, that is, in my humble opinion the major contribution of the JAE. And, as a century ago as today, it is impossible to understand the scientific fact isolated from the cultural and social fact that gives support. I can not understand why some voices from the university launch attacks against the new subject under the LOE, Education for Citizenship (EPC), on the grounds that will weaken the already weak scientific presence in the secondary curriculum (and, incidentally, I will withdraw future students). Quite the contrary. If, as expected, this area is built around the development of personal and social ethics, which will be achieved is a more prepared and responsible citizenship, with criteria to require political presence in science proportionate to the deal in other areas of culture and economy. Under this view, the potential of EPC to reassess the role of science in school is far superior to that possessed by the Krebs cycle study or memorization of the periodic table.
And that is worth celebrating, and recover, perhaps, with the Year of Science and naked born by decree of the program, but yes, with a pompous Commission responsible to polish and splendor, hopefully before the end. I remember a funny sign with a picture of a lanky camel and patches and a text that said: "A camel is a greyhound designed by a committee." Is this the case? There
