The Scientific Mind: an Update of the 1988 Survey Sketches of the American Scientist

Scientists tend to be on the cutting edge of knowledge—after all, their primary function is to discover new knowledge. Furthermore, their ideas, theories, and beliefs often become important policies. Their ideas and beliefs are not static, but constantly changing, influenced by education, their own work, and society at large. It is of considerable value to know how they think, and how their ideas evolve. 

In 1988, former University of North Carolina at Charlotte geographer Jack Sommer, with help from the scientific honor society Sigma Xi, conducted a survey titled Sketches of the American Scientist. The survey focused on scientists’ attitudes on a wide range of issues, including what scientists think about their jobs, the nature and role of the scientific enterprise, politics, their relationship to the government, and ethical problems.

In 2025, Sommer decided it was a good time to re-examine these topics. He connected with the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal to perform the new survey and the subsequent presentation of the findings and analysis. Sigma Xi again provided contacts to its membership and Sommer and Martin Center research and policy fellow Shannon Watkins prepared the survey. Once the results were in, senior fellow Jay Schalin analyzed the data and wrote the final report.

The results indeed suggest changing attitudes by the scientific profession. Some are about how science should be conducted; for instance, scientific researchers increasingly favor a team approach rather than individual investigation.

Politically, there were indications that a dramatic shift to the left has occurred. Additionally, almost one-quarter of the respondents expressed concern about being able to speak freely about their areas of expertise—and such concerns are more common among younger scientists. Even more unsettling, anti-science attitudes such as the belief that anti-meritocratic practices such as “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” have become the norm in much of the scientific world, particularly academia. And only 59 percent or respondents affirmed the value of “disseminating” research that conflicts with the prevailing consensus—it seems shocking that a single scientist would not see the value in exposing original ideas and theories. 

The report reveals other indications that suggest the open atmosphere of scientific exploration that has led to so much advancement in the last few centuries may be waning. It may be that science itself may be heading into a period of questionable practices and increasing doubt that it represents the best-known truths. This report is both a call for further investigation into this possibility and a suggestion that scientific enterprises, including academia, alter their policies to restore the spirit of open inquiry.

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The Scientific Mind an Update of the 1988 Survey Sketches of the American Scientist