Scientific focus

 Studying social values as “value isobars”

Where there are common cultural traditions and common historical and social reference points it is probable that there will be some uniformity of values. Thus, across Europe certain core values are likely to play a significant role in all the different Member States. But on account of differing backgrounds, for example economic, religious, educational, political, philosophical outlook and the history of and experience with technology and science, important differences in and between values are also to be expected. And one should expect that the typical social implications of values, even those that may be called ‘core values’, will differ across nations, and also across various sub-groups within the nations. Moreover, it is also likely that differences of background will influence the importance or salience that people give to these core values.

The landscape of European values is assumedly complex.  It is proposed to introduce the concept of ethical/ value “isobars”, a term borrowed from meteorology. Isobars in their common weather forecast meaning are lines drawn between points of common atmospheric pressures. It was through representations of this kind that the Norwegian scientist Vilhelm Bjerknes was able to introduce the concept of a “Polar-front” and through it eventually to revolutionize meteorology. In the European landscape of values our objective is for a similar achievement.

The systematic mapping of the “value-climate” in Europe that eventually may link value-isobars to key indicators of attitudes to science and technology and other economic and demographic data, requires a number of research steps.

First, a better understanding of the very concept of values is needed that delineates values from, on the one hand, mere preferences that are evoked by concrete choices, and, on the other hand, cultural and other norms that individuals may experience as extrinsic to their own conceptions of the good life and a good society.

Second, the dynamic role of values in the shaping of prevailing attitudes to science and technology needs to be explored.

Third, a common instrument needs to be characterized that allows the empirical identification and measurement of values. Differences in connotations and different weights need to be included in these instruments.