Science and society: New lecture highlights explosive topics!

Science and society: New lecture highlights explosive topics!

On March 9, 2025, the Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg hosted the first Forchheim University Days under the motto “Science meets Society”. This event aims to shed light on the interplay between scientific research and social knowledge. Current issues are addressed in a broad social context, with trust and acceptance in scientific findings also being addressed.

According to the Friedrich Alexander University The scientific community should increasingly assume its responsibility to promote understanding of the relevance of scientific findings. This initiative is all the more important as a loss of trust in science has been observed, particularly due to the mixing of political and scientific roles over the past year.

Lecture series “Science and Society”

An integral part of the Forchheim University Days is the “Science and Society” lecture series, which includes four central components. These building blocks are based on fundamental questions about the relationship between science and society:

• Wissenschaftsgeschichte: Entstehung der modernen Wissenschaft und wissenschaftlicher Disziplinen, gelehrt von Prof. Dr. Jürgen Renn vom Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte.
• Wissenschafts- und Erkenntnistheorie: Unterscheidung zwischen wissenschaftlichem Wissen und anderen Wissensformen, vermittelt von Prof. Dr. Barbara Vetter in der theoretischen Philosophie.
• Wissenschaftliche Methoden: Darstellung der Methoden einzelner Disziplinen, um Erkenntnisse zu gewinnen, durch Prof. Dr. Rainer Watermann in der empirischen Bildungsforschung.
• Wissenschaftstransfer: Anwendung wissenschaftlichen Wissens auf gesellschaftliche Fragestellungen, angeleitet von Prof. Dr. Felicitas Thiel, die auf Schulpädagogik und Schulentwicklungsforschung spezialisiert ist.

Each module includes an introductory lecture in the classic format, which is available online. Supplementary materials such as video interviews with experts and teaching animations on key topics are also available. In addition, the entire program can be used via the online learning platform tet.folio, which offers students various resources for independent learning.

The responsibility of science

Public pressure can lead scientists to speak out on topics in which they are not necessarily experts. This problem was addressed by the FU Berlin where it was noted that such developments could endanger the objectivity and generality of scientific knowledge.

Scientists are not immune to society's temptations to power and should therefore always strive to maintain a high level of integrity. Science has its limits, does not make political decisions, but rather provides relevant basis for decision-making. A clear separation between science and political influence is essential to ensure the independence of research.

Given these challenges, it becomes clear that the Forchheim University Days not only offer a platform for discussion, but also invite people to think about the role of science in society - especially at a time when false information and conspiracy theories are surfacing. A strong awareness and understanding of the complexity of scientific work is crucial in order to provide everyone involved with a clear path in collaboration between science and society, he said Donors' Association.