Response to Vid and Katharina // false dichotomies --- Good conversation. Sometimes, I wonder about whether the distinction between science and diplomacy makes sense at all. Wouldn't we rather distinguish between science and politics, economics, etc. as functional systems of society, and then look at functional sub-fields, such as domestic, foreign, health, environmental policy, or disciplines and research fields in science? Then, it can make more sense to ask: what are compulsions to act in each system and sub-field? What structures actions in these fields, and what do people respond to?

Requirements of skills can be very similar. People should be kind, honest, sincere, reliable, not quarrelsome etc. Situations should be analysed, taken actions should be logical. Abberrations can be found in both systems. Policymakers just as well as scientific staff can act unreasonably, very irrational, even childish and both systems know vanity and mortifications to a great extent. What do you think?

Source author: Tim Flink tim.flink@hu-berlin.de