Watching the Watchers: Lessons from the Science of Science Advice

Institutions that play a watchdog role in society offer a persistent challenge for democracy: who shall watch the watchers? We shrink at the thought of unlimited police power or judges who place themselves above the law. Scientific advice is not immune to such concerns. Its role is to keep politicians and policymakers honest by holding them to high standards of evidence and reason. But who ensures the rationality of science advisers, making sure that they will be held accountable for the integrity of their advice?