Science  vs. Invention

One of the great battles within our society is that between science and invention.  Science being man's attempt to describe and understand the nature of the universe in whole or part, while invention is the practical application of science.  Though these two pursuits should have a symbiotic relationship, all too often it has been an adversarial one.

Though invention can easily flow from scientific discovery, all to often these activities are well divorced from each other.  It has only been over the last decade that the academic scientists of universities have been working synergistically with the inventors of the private sector.  One of the most recent examples of this has been the mapping of the human genome from which new medications are being developed.  

Likewise scientific discovery is often only made possible by new and novel inventions that our society produces.  Where would scientists today be without inventions like the computer? Yet one of the creators of the modern computer (Robert Noyce) has been belittled and ignored by academia (see Non-Academics Get a Cold Shoulder from the Nobel Committee ).

Over the last century there has been a general disdain for inventors by academia, who would demean their work and abilities to no end.  Likewise, inventors disliked the academics who would minimize their talents and discoveries.  This mutual disdain is likely the result of envy.  Scientists envied inventors for the money that they made and the practical impact that they had on society, while inventors envied the scholarly accolades that the academics received.

The contrast of Thomas Edison (inventor) who never completed high school and Albert Einstein (scientist) with a graduate degree, is obvious to all.  Both made equally great impacts on society but while Edison received patents and financial gain, Einstein received the Nobel and accolades of academia.

People such as myself who have graduate degrees (scientist) but now work in the private sector (inventor), as well as those with a private sector background now working in academia, are the keys to erasing these artificial boundaries that the last century has fortified.  Though the private sector is now realizing that academia holds the keys to many inventions, academia has not yet realized that great contributions to science can come from those without academic degrees.

The solution?  Just as the printing press made it possible for the commoners to read, the internet has made it possible for the masses to have access to the scientific literature and data that was previously under the purview of academia.  I am finding that there are many self-taught scientists out there, who have just as good or better knowledge of  science than many of the academics within that field, and have the additional benefit of not being caught in the rut of a certain way of thinking.

This Journal has tried to disseminate scientific information without the prerequisite of having to be a part of a specific academic society, or being charged significant fees.  We bring together scientists with and without academic degrees, and focus on the advancement of scientific theory rather than single hypothesis studies.  Articles are accepted on merit and not academic degree, and no fee is required of the author in order to get the work published (not an uncommon practice).  when we review an article, we ask:  "Is the theory valid?", "Does it take into account generally accepted scientific knowledge?", and "Is it logically valid?"  

Just as blood lines do not determine the worth of a man, neither do the degrees conferred onto one.  We should all be judged on what we do and are able to achieve, rather than one's background and academic pedigree.  May other journal's take such a high road.

Dr. Siepmann, Editor-in-Chief