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Scientific Ethics and Integrity

Scientific Ethics and Integrity. “Relativity applies to physics, not ethics.” - Albert Einstein. Goals:. To discuss and understand the different dimensions of scientific ethics. What are some of the ethical issues facing scientists? Policy makers?

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Scientific Ethics and Integrity

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  1. Scientific Ethicsand Integrity “Relativity applies to physics, not ethics.” - Albert Einstein

  2. Goals: • To discuss and understand the different dimensions of scientific ethics. • What are some of the ethical issues facing scientists? Policy makers? • When is self-regulation by the scientific community of its conduct impossible or undesirable?

  3. Questions About Ethics • Where is the focus of scientific and technological ethics? • Why is ethics important? • Who decides what is ethical/not ethical? “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is the right thing to do.” - Former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart

  4. What is ethics? • Ethics • “1 ...the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation • 2 a: a set of moral principles and values b: a theory or system of moral values c: the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group.” • (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary. Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam Company. 1975)

  5. Influences on Ethics Family Religion Schools Employers Moral Leaders Philosophers

  6. Ethical Models • Teleology • Consequence ethics • Determination of rightness or wrongness based on consequences • Will the action produce more good than bad? • Altruism • Utilitarianism • Egoism • Deontology • Duty ethics • Certain actions are inherently or intrinsically right or wrong – regardless of consequences • Ex. Telling lies are intrinsically wrong. • Personal Ethics • Instinct • Conscience • Emotion • Intuition • Religion

  7. Making Ethical Decisions • Ethical issues can generally be clarified when the following are considered: • Facts of the situation. • Who is affected? What are their interests? • Key concepts, criteria and principles (ex. What is life?). • Ethical Theories and Arguments

  8. Ethical Issues in Scientific Research • Conflicts of Interest and Scientific Misconduct: • Fabrication • Changing Data – “Lying” • Falsification • Making Up Data – “Cheating” • Plagiarism • Using words/ideas without proper citations – “Copying”

  9. Ethics in Science and Technology • Medicine • Gene Therapy • Cloning • Stem Cell Research • Military • WMD • Nuclear Testing • Human Experimentation • Economics • Pollution for Profit

  10. Classifications of Ethics • Violation of Established World Orders (Natural or Social Order of Things) • Ex. Genetic Engineering, In Vitro Fertilization • Violations of Supposedly Exception less Moral Principles • Ex. Human life must always be preserved (Dr. Kavorkian), Action that destroy innocent civilians (War), Human must not be treated as a mean to an end (harvesting fetal tissue) • Distribution of Science or Technology Related Benefits • Ex. Medical benefits – diagnostic, surgery, therapeutic

  11. Classifications of Ethics • Infliction of Harm or Exposure to Significant Risks of Harm without Prior Consent • Ex. Animal testing, maintenance of carcinogen-containing workplaces, cross-border/multi-generational pollution • Science or Technology-Engendered “Positive Rights” • Ex. Human life preservation, death with dignity, genetic testing

  12. Other Issues • Aggregation • Small transgressions aggregate to cause significant problems • Ex. Pollution of individual car vs. hundreds of millions of cars • Practitioner Problems • “Professional Ethics” • Who is making the ethical decisions?

  13. Other Issues • Distribution Justice • Should a project be given approval if there is a risk to anyone within impact area? • Ex. Construction of hydroelectric dam • Whistle Blowing • Poor design, testing, false results, faulty development, etc. • Ex. O-rings in Challenger http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/22/nation/la-na-challenger-anniversary-20110123 • Consideration of Long-Term effects • Ex. Nuclear waste, Obsolescence

  14. Challenges in Ethics and Modern Science Developments in science requires revisions in traditional ethical thinking and decision making. How do you believe this will change? “Science cannot stop while ethics catches up – and nobody should expect scientists to do all the thinking for the country.” -Elvin Stackman

  15. Articles/Scenarios • Discuss: • “Ethics in Science: Dissecting the Dilemmas,” UAB Magazine • Ethics Group Discussion/Debate: • Newborn Screening • Moral Dilemma • Chemical A or Chemical B?

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