Editorial

In collaborating with the National Youth Science Foundation in its Science from Peace Award Program, Science for Peace is fulfilling one of its most important tasks. The seduction of scientists into the service of war cannot be wholly ascribed to the lucrative career opportunities offered by weapons research and strategic studies. Part of the problem has been ignorance of opportunities for applying scientific knowledge in the interest of life rather than death.

Encouraging scientifically gifted young people to engage in peace-oriented research will hopefully prove to be an effective way of imparting a sense of ethical and humane responsibility to future scientists. This encouragement has great educational value, for there is no better way to teach young people how to live in a future world at peace than by giving them an opportunity to immerse themselves in real problems related to the dangers of war and to ways of alleviating this danger. The present time is especially propitious to extending peace research from the social and behavioural sciences, its original habitat, to the natural sciences, for which some of today’s young people have shown a remarkable aptitude.

This should be a mutually satisfying adventure for those of us who become involved and the young people whom we meet — who will soon be our students and colleagues.

— Anatol Rapoport Director of Education