Free Speech & Peace

Charles Koch and the Republic of Science

June 5, 2016

Jim Tankersley recently profiled Charles Koch for The Washington Post in an interview that covered Mr. Koch’s philanthropy, particularly his academic support. In the profile, Mr. Koch articulates his respect for the scholars and students who pursue what Michael Polanyi called “The Republic of Science” and explains his support for the never-ending exploration of ideas. As Tankersly writes:

” Polanyi’s ‘The Republic of Science: Its Political and Economic Theory,’ published in 1962, is the text that best illustrates what Koch is trying to do with his massive personal fortune — and the contradictions and controversies that come with it. That paper argues that science should function like an economic market, with research dollars flowing to the very best scholars and ideas, as determined by scientific consensus. It has guided Koch’s effort to donate more than $200 million to colleges and universities, an effort that he plans to accelerate in the coming years and that will continue to shape academic research and student learning long after the effects of his political giving have faded.”

Read the full piece in The Washington Post