Several conditions for knowledge use and productive science policy interfaces have been identified that emphasize the importance of, amongst others, (1) credibility, relevance and accessibility of knowledge, (2) the communication skills of knowledge producers, and (3) the receptiveness of knowledge users (Jones et al. 1999).
Contemplative science (including physics and metaphysics) is concerned with truth or knowledge for its own sake; practical science with good action; and productive science with making useful or beautiful objects (Top. VI.6.145a14 16, Met. VI.1.1025b24, XI.7.1064a16 19, EN VI.2.1139a26 8).
"Only productive relationships lead to productive science".
The principles of division are straightforward: theoretical science seeks knowledge for its own sake; practical science concerns conduct and goodness in action, both individual and societal; and productive science aims at the creation of beautiful or useful objects (Top. 145a15 16; Phys. 192b8 12; DC 298a27 32, DA 403a27 b2; Met. 1025b25, 1026a18 19, 1064a16 19, b1 3; EN 1139a26 28, 1141b29 32).
Negative findings can have positive outcomes, and positive results do not equate to productive science.
Practical science thus contrasts with theoretical science, which seeks knowledge for its own sake, and, less obviously, with the productive sciences, which deal with the creation of products external to sciences themselves.
Aristotle regards rhetoric and the arts as belonging to the productive sciences.
The productive sciences include, among others, ship-building, agriculture, and medicine, but also the arts of music, theatre, and dance.
What Saint-Simon desired, in other words, was an industrialized state directed by modern science, and one in which society would be organized for productive labour by the most capable men.
