Faith struggles in science: Academic schools as religious sects

Particularly in the social sciences, scientific debates can be understood as a special expression of academic discourse and ideally support the progress of knowledge within a discipline. Very often, there are competing academic schools with greatly differing theoretical foundations, like we have seen, for example, in social sciences especially by the “Methodenstreit” in economics, or the “Positivismusstreit” in Sociology. This paper aims to introduce a new approach to study academic schools and would like to contribute to the literature on the economics of science. To this end, the paper uses the economic theory of religion in general and the economics of sects in particular by transferring the approach to academic schools for the first time. Our results can help to extend the understanding of scientifical decision-making and to explain the membership to an academic school. Although, the model is presented in relationship to social sciences in general and economics in particular, the basic model of academic schools is generally transferable. JEL Classification: A12, B13, B21, B40, B53, Z12

Components of security of Ukrainian statehood by sphere of its existence

The paper identifies the components of Ukraine’s security in the spheres of its life: politics, economics, the military, etc. In the modern world, the driving force of the economy is qualitatively new knowledge, so the structure of the economy as innovative can be reduced to the following formula: general economy = economics of science + scientific and technological economics + economics of material production. Economics, in our opinion, can be schematically represented as follows: economics of science (information => information resources => innovation => qualitatively new knowledge => intellectual resources), scientific and technological economics and economics of material production. That is, the security of the state depends primarily on its political component to ensure the economic security of society. Political security is a qualitative state of the political system of society, which should be determined by law. Economic security — reliable protection of national and state interests in the economy from real and potential internal and external threats, and in the first place — direct and indirect economic losses. The security of the state as a system of political power in Ukraine depends on its political, economic, scientific and scientific-technological components, which are the foundation of Ukraine’s innovation policy. Key words: politics, political science, national security and mechanisms of its provision, political security, national security and mechanisms of its provision, indicators of political security, threats to political security, internal political security of the state, challenges to internal political security, external political security of the state, political economy, political economy, science and information, the concept of economic security, the competence of state bodies in ensuring state security.

Introduction

The present volume collects the proceedings of the workshop “The Economics of Science” that was held in June 2019 in Brussels in the framework of the FCC Week with the support of the H2020 EuroCirCol and EASITrain projects and the Belgium Charter of the LSE Alumni Association. The goal of the meeting was threefold: First to explore the role of public investments in research infrastructures and Big Science projects for economic development, review ways to access their financial impact beyond their core scientific mission and thirdly create a forum for exchanging best practices that can maximize the impact of such projects. The collected essays focus on Big Science Organizations that participated in the workshop while we should clarify to readers that by “Science” we mainly refer to curiosity-driven research. However, we hope that some of the ideas and tools discussed by the participants of the workshop can find applications in many ways.

Economics of Science in the Time of Data Economy and Gigabit Society

In a period that Europe prepares to launch its new multi-annual programme for research and innovation it is important to step back and reflect on the broader social and economic benefits that Big Science and curiosity-driven research have brought to society and moreover how we can work together to maximize this impact. Further engaging citizens, offering more opportunities for young people, exploiting the tools presented by digital technologies are some of the challenges that I highlight/discuss in this essay