Is Academic Knowledge a Public Good? | Professor Steve Fuller | TEDxUniversityofBolton

Professor Steve Fuller

Auguste Comte Professor of Social Epistemology in the Department of Sociology at the University of Warwick, UK.

Steve Fuller is Auguste Comte Professor of Social Epistemology in the Department of Sociology at the University of Warwick, UK. Originally trained in history and philosophy of science, Fuller is best known for his foundational work in the field of ‘social epistemology’, the name of both a quarterly journal that he founded in 1987 and the first of his more than twenty books. In 2014 Fuller completed a trilogy relating to the idea of a ‘post-’ or ‘trans-‘ human future, all published with Palgrave Macmillan. His latest books are Knowledge: The Philosophical Quest in History (Routledge) and The Academic Caesar (Sage), and is currently completing a book entitled Post-Truth: Knowledge as a Power Game (Anthem). Fuller was awarded a D.Litt. by Warwick in 2007 for sustained lifelong contributions to scholarship. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, the UK Academy of Social Sciences, and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

[ameliazhang]

Today's universities have become quite different from the founder's ideal. To uphold Prof. Fuller's argument would be a huge challenge. As a university teacher, I certainly feel the pressure.

[MoralGovernment]

That's just not true. I don't have academic training, but when my child was diagnoses with a rare disorder that the doctors couldn't be bothered to do research on, I used the internet to first diagnose her, and then read every paper on the topic. I had to use a dictionary, and it took me a long time, but I was able to understand what it was saying. I wrote up a research review report and sent it to her medical team and got her evidence based treatment and she is still alive today, even though her doctors wanted to let her die. So I reject the premise completely.

[khaimgulkovich]

1. The purpose of the university is—the professional training of researchers.
2. Popularization of scientific knowledge should be targeted to the specific audience and correspond to the level of its knowledge and satisfy its special needs.

[CookedLikeaCookie]

People do change, but many will tell you the opposite. Teach instead of chastise and condescend

[jameshansen]

Is it a public BAD? Ignorance can be overcome, one sometimes awakens unexpectedly, stupidity is deeply rooted, I know, exhibit A is personally painful.

[TalesByTheOcean]

This is why academics doing public outreach & education (on popular platforms) is important!

[gameaccess]

2 years ago, 2k views, 2 comments???