The rise of the natural sciences in the modern era was driven by the belief that knowledge of nature would steadily increase and, sooner or later, prove useful to humankind and society. These expectations shaped the natural sciences’ self-image. This project examines the history of the modern identity of science, analyzing its history from early modern natural history to the natural sciences of the 20th century. It traces the shift from the universal ideal of utility in the 17th and 18th centuries to today’s promise of technological progress. However, the belief in the benefits of the natural sciences was, from the outset, accompanied by the awareness that progress in knowledge can only be guaranteed if research is not guided solely by short-term needs.
The final results of the study are published in this book: