Strategic Studies of public policy

Strategic Studies of public policy

How can philosophy help improve innovation policy?

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Tarbiat Modares University
2 Department of Information Technology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The field of study of science, technology and innovation policy, like other fields of social science, has always been influenced by intellectual and philosophical foundations and has benefited from various fields, including philosophy, in its evolution and in its attempt to introduce itself as a science. On the one hand, in the field of innovation policy, the evolution of generations of innovation policy from purely economic and technical goals to social and cultural goals, and on the other hand, in the field of philosophy, the prominence of complementary philosophies in the field of science and technology and applied issues, as well as the connection with the field of science and technology studies, necessitates the necessity of cooperation between these two fields. This research aims to explain the bridges and paths of cooperation between philosophy and philosophy of science and technology with science, technology, and innovation policy. The results show that there are three paths of communication from philosophy to innovation policy: 1) explaining the philosophical school supporting generations of innovation policy, 2) critiquing, evaluating, and validating innovation policy using philosophical concepts and tools, and 3) studying the implications of innovation policy from the categories and issues of philosophy of science and technology. It seems that philosophy of science and technology has two paths ahead to play a greater role in the field of innovation policy: one is an independent path and the other is integration into science and technology studies.
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