I've been away- had a great time!- and in reading the whole topic one after the other I am puzzled. What is meant by science? Pure research for discovery sake, saving lives, building ever more clever machines, growing healthier rice- or something else? It seems to me that the conditions for science to prosper in any regime have to allow for unproductive as well as productive science to happen. This can only really occur in an atmosphere that is supportive in all aspects and one that can allow time for development of ideas into discoveries. Therefore the society would probably have to be rich, unencumbered by restrictions of ideology of any sort, possibly democratic (but maybe not) and unafraid of controversial thought. I don't think my ideal crucible for the development of thinking happens anywhere- and I believe that development of original ideas needs all of them/
I am intrigued by the mention of climate as a deterrent of research. Surely climate control of labs can overcome that, if indeed it is a factor, (which I find hard to believe)?
