The civic role of science can be compared to that of a park or museum. Everyone is better off because of these institutions, but no individual has an incentive to pay for his share. Viewed from this perspective, science has solid justification for claiming public funds. When science moves into the business realm, market rules apply, and not always to the benefit of either the science community or society. A corporation that come to campus offering to sponsor research will usually require an exchange of science rules in favor of market rules.
Science relies on the free transaction of ideas, contrary to most business models.
Of the many other forces working to shape the cultural viewpoints of Americans, advertising is probably the most influential. The advertising industry appeals to emotions, insecurities, and desires, whereas teaching uses a markedly different process of convincing. Educators do not rely on power, money, or suggestion to persuade their audience. Rather, their object is to influence students to accept ideas for the same reasons that they do. Teaching forces the professor to analyze his own reasoning and then submit his theories to the student for evaluation and criticism.