FLI Group Leader Helen Morrison was one out of 8 speakers of international "March for Science", which took place in Jena on April 22, 2017. Organized by the Friedrich Schiller University, the March gathered Jena's research institutes to demonstrate against alternative facts and for science as the true basis for constructive dialogue in society and politics.
The Leibniz Institute on Aging was one of the March's supporters, and Helen's speech really enthused the 1,100-people audience. She especially pointed out that education of junior scientists should be unbiased and free to ensure that quality of science is also guaranteed in the next generation of scientists. She further emphasized that scientific facts should be regarded as the one and only basis of public and political discourse. Helen closed her speech with the appeal that we should be proud of the scientific freedom in Germany, but, however, should try to preserve it even in uncertain political times.
Background
A critical mind and reasonable decision making are only possible if there exist criteria to reliably evaluate information. It is the duty of Sciene to classify results that emerge from the exploration of our world. But if validated facts are denied, relativized or replaced by "alternative facts" in order to make political capital from this, the basis for any constructive dialogue is destroyed. This is true not only for Science, but for the Society as a whole, since constructive dialogue is a prerequisite for Democracy.
In almost 400 cities around the world, people were invited to join a "March for Science" on April 22, 2017 - to rally for scientific results not to be negotiable if used as basis for social discourse.
EYERYONE who believes that the discrimination between validated facts and personal opinion is important, was invited to join in fighting for the value of Science and Research.
