Dr. Kevin McCain, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at UAB grew up in southern Illinois with initial aspirations of becoming a lawyer, but during his junior year of college, he shifted his focus to philosophy, aiming to become a philosophy professor with a keen interest in epistemology. He harbors a passion for science fiction and fantasy, evident from his office decorations featuring characters from Star Wars and Indiana Jones, and have melded this interest with their philosophical pursuits by contributing to various philosophy and pop culture publications. Kevin McCain’s contributions include articles for “Philosophy and Dungeons and Dragons” and “Philosophy and Doctor Who,” showcasing his ability to intertwine philosophy with sci-fi/fantasy themes. In the classroom, he adopts an engaging teaching philosophy, encapsulated by the belief that “philosophy is fun, so learning it should be too,” emphasizing an enjoyable and interactive educational experience.

What is the role of the scientist in society? 

Scientists have many roles in contemporary society. They are discoverers of the inner workings of the natural world, grant writers, educators, and technology developers. Often scientists are called upon to play the role of knowledge disseminators as well because many times they are tasked with sharing the conclusions of their research with the public. Some scientists take it upon themselves, or have it thrust upon them, to be public intellectuals making pronouncements on all sorts of issues of interest beyond the domains of science they know best. 

What should the role of the scientist be, if different than their current one? 

Ideally, scientists should be first and foremost researchers and technology developers. This is where their expertise lies, and it is where they are apt to be most likely to generate new knowledge and helpful technologies. Those scientists who are capable teachers in addition to being researchers should also be educators. Disseminating scientific knowledge to the public should be a role that is primarily played by others, and for the most part scientists should refrain from taking on the role of public intellectual. While some scientists are well-suited to being public figures of this sort, most are not. This is not a dig against scientists—most experts from any given field are ill-suited to being public intellectuals. It is too easy for anyone, scientists included, to make grand pronouncements that fall outside of their areas of expertise when called upon to be a public intellectual. 

Why is it important?

Allowing scientists to focus on what they do best (scientific research and technology development) is the best use of their considerable talents. The more scientists are tasked with doing things apart from actual scientific research the less time and energy they have for doing what they do best. This makes things harder for scientists, and it makes it less likely that broader society will benefit from discoveries that could have been made if scientists had to spend less time working on things other than their scientific endeavors.

IMAGE CREDIT: UAB.

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