Benedikt schmidt

Schmidt, Benedikt

Vice President, Scimpact

Benedikt is vice president of Reatch. He studied mathematics, philosophy and medicine. Currently he is pursuing a Masters in Science & Public Policy at University College London. Details: www.benediktschmidt.ch.

Values

I am convinced that politics and science are different worlds (using science as an umbrella term for all forms of academic research, like the German word ‘Wissenschaft’). Politics is about shaping the rules of coexisting in a society, it is about power, resources and achieving a common will. Science, in contrast, aims at describing the world as accurately and objectively as possible. The generation of reliable and preliminary scientific evidence is pursued along specific standards and methodologies. Still, no science is detached from normative design choices, any science happens in a socio-political context and scientific knowledge can be used in political decision-making to shape the world. Therefore, science is political.

Any type of science can only answer descriptive questions in a narrowly pegged, disciplinary field. Political questions are usually different: They ask about individual value priorities, involve a normative component and require political instead of scientific answers. Accordingly, science cannot lead the way when it comes to political decisions. It can, however, enrich the political process in three ways: Science produces reliable evidence, offering orientation and scenarios to inform politics, science can critique political measures set to achieve a specified political goal and it can pinpoint societal grievances.

A fruitful exchange between science and politics requires mutual understanding, regular exchange, and interpersonal ties between scientists and decision-makers. While scientists should avoid overstepping their areas of expertise or giving scientific answers to political questions, they can contribute to democratic decision-making by providing their expertise as scientists and engaging politically as citizens. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of politicians/policymakers not to selectively instrumentalise scientific evidence and to respect the limits of their expertise.

Ideational and financial connections

Ideational connections with leading function

  • Vice President, Reatch
  • Board Member, Reatch (2021 - 2022, 2023 - now)
  • Lead Format Pizza, Philosophy & Science at Reatch (2020 - 2023)
  • Co-lead local group Effective Altruism Basel (2022)
  • President, Reatch Basel (2020 - 2022)

Ideational connections without leading function

Memberships, donations and patronages:

  • Goodenough College (2023 - 2024)
  • Students' Union UCL (2023 - 2024)
  • Swiss Society for Biomedical Ethics (2022 - now)
  • Swiss Mathematical Society (2022 - now)
  • SKUBA (studentische Körperschaft der Universität Basel, 2015 - 2022)
  • Swiss Study Foundation (2015 - now)
  • regional group Bern, foraus (2018)


Financial connections

  • Learning Institute AG (2018 - now)

  • Annual Scholarship, Swiss Study Foundation (2023 - 2024)

  • Swiss Federal Administration (2023)

  • University of Zurich (2022 - 2023)

  • Reatch (2022 - 2023)

  • Code Camp Switzerland AG (2018 - 2022)

  • Raiffeisenbank Belalp-Simplon (2020)


See also LinkedIn.