Year and volume: 2025 (Vol. 92).
Author(s): Torsten Wilholt.
Abstract: Although fundamental arguments have been presented to support the value-laden nature of all scientific research, they appear to be difficult to apply to basic research in physics. To explain this, I argue that basic research in physics is, in a very specific respect, often value-laden to a lesser degree. To spell this out, I refer to the different signal-to-noise ratios that can be achieved in different fields of research. I also argue that having a very low degree of value-ladenness in the very specific respect that I identify does not mean that the research is not value-laden at all.
That’s a really interesting point about basic physics research – it’s true that the initial goals and questions can be so strongly influenced by the prevailing theoretical frameworks of the time.