Looking back: how the founders considered science and progress in their relation to human rights / Un regard rétrospectif: comment les fondateurs envisageaient science et progrès dans leur relation aux droits de l’homme

Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrines the right of everyone to share in scientific advancement. The word ‘advancement’ may imply a value judgment on the content of science. However, the drafting history of the Declaration shows that a more robust effort to frame and define the nature of science, promoted by the Soviet Union and some of its allies, was not successful. This is in contrast with a similar and more successful effort in article 26 which concerns the right to education. The paper analyses the travaux préparatoires of the Universal Declaration. These materials are inconclusive, although subsequent application and interpretation of article 27 lends support to the view that its interpretation is not entirely neutral as far as the direction and content of scientific research are concerned.

ISBN-10: 2804472736
ISBN-13: 9782804472733