We all agree that science should serve for the benefit of mankind, that it has become a key factor for our prosperity, and that it is a prime guarantor of a hopeful future. However, benefits, prosperity, and a promising future do not come free. Every agent along the science and technology chain, from the scientist all the way to the consumer, must assume a distinct and appropriate role for which he is fully responsible.
Science has become indispensable for society at large, and financial support is constantly growing. But also growing are confused expectations, contradicting demands, hostile attitudes, and distrust. The consequences are a dwindling sense of responsibility and an inappropriate interference with each others roles, in particular curtailing the freedom to pursue worthwhile scientific challenges. In order to keep inevitable scientific progress on track for the benefit of mankind, we all have to sharpen our awareness - both scientists and the beneficiaries of science - for many issues and questions regarding the practices and beliefs in science and society. We have to recognize that the mechanisms and practices of science are and have to be different from those of economics, politics, and society and that the direction of scientific progress is dictated both by the interests of the scientists as well as by those who exploit the scientific results.
As a society, we have to accept that scientific and technical feasibility are unlimited and, therefore, are no longer the central question. We have to decide what we can afford, what we have to afford and what we want to afford, for whatever reasons. Can we afford a dramatic widening of the science and technology gap? Replace thinking by computers? Master all efforts by machines? Strive for immortality?
Science, for which benefit of which mankind?