On facts concerning scientific research: responding to the crisis of legitimacy of science

In this paper, we deal with the issue of the spreading decline of trust in science. The scope of our work is to address the problem by showing the limits of the current way of coping with it. We propose a more comprehensive historical and philosophical contextualization. Accordingly, we suggest that the increased uneasiness often lamented by the scientific community can be read as the symptom of the periodical crisis of legitimation that precedes important epistemological changes. Rather than protecting the authority of scientific knowledge by increasing its autonomy and independence, we suggest that trust might be regained by adapting the practices to the significant transformations that our societies need and will undergo. In order to contribute to the emerging discussions on the topic, we propose some leads and advocate a call to establish more transdisciplinary communities working towards a more collaborative, transparent and communicative science for all.