Should scientists be responsible for what they learn and discover? Does science have any ethical considerations with regards to the advances it makes?
Or is it that Science's role is to make the discoveries, and it is up to the users to be responsible for how it is used?
I'm not posting my view yet. I'm sure everyone knows it already, but I'm gonna make a coherent post about it all Monday.
Oh, and I tried to pose as unbiased a post as possible. I hope it is seen as such. I have my view, but I would like to hear other points of view. If it is biased, feel free to make it unbiased. Not biased in a different direction, but free of any bias.
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The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity. Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)
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There has been no Catan recently, so no glory to be had.
Wins: 3/10/07, 4/15/07, 6/22/07
Wins: 3/10/07, 4/15/07, 6/22/07
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3 comments:
Oh yes, and I have won 3 times in a row on Catan. I'm gonna try to keep it going.
Being a scientist I think that this is a question I have put a lot of thought into. Perhaps not how I word my responce...
You may set out to find a cure for cancer and wind up finding cancer causing agents along the way. Does this make you a bad person? Does it make you responcible for people who misuse your research? I say no.
This is the exact debate that Einstein had with nuclear power. He knew it would have amazing potential to be used as a clean form of fule that would revolutionize the way we use and produce energy, but he also knew it had the power to fuel nuclear bombs. He deliberated with himself and a few confidants about telling the public (especially as we were in a war at the time) and in the end decided to release his results.
So was he the one who dropped the bomb, or even made it for that matter? No. His intention was to find an alternate source of power in the beginning. His intentions were begnin, he was working for the greater good.
This also doesn't account for scientific accidents, you start out working with spong toxins trying to find a non addicting form of pain killer and end up finding the perfect nerve toxin. Your looking for a better tasting easier to grow mushroom and discover leathal spores. Should you hide this knowledge? No, because then we never go forward, he have generations of scientists discovering the samething and never going forward. Your never going to find that pain killer of mushroom if you can't keep moving forward.
There are also rules and regulations in place to prevent scientists from performing 'unethical' research. We are not allowed to perform psychological research any way we want, there are limits on how you can study cloning and stem cells.
Science is limitless, the things that can be discovered have no end. It is the people and thegovernement that need to decide how far research should go and how it is used.
As a scientist your told you should be unbiased, as it may change your results. You do your research, trying to find good things, helpful things, but sometimes you find bad things. Thats life. As a scientist you can abstain from researching things you thing are morally wrong, or you can research them so that the can be avoided or used in a different manner.
Bah I have posted quite I bit, I think you get my idea. I will hammer out small details or misunderstandings if there are any.
I thought I'd posted this comment last night, but apparantly I never actually bothered to hit the 'publish' button.
I agree that it's not the scientists' responsibility, it's the user's. It's the same argument from all these stupid 'I sue you' scenarios we see. Is it McDonald's fault their kangaroo meat and lard-fried fries make people fat, or is it the fault of the people who eat there every day? Is it Anheiser-Bush's fault that tons of people die in alcohol-related accidents daily, or is it the fault of the guy who drives home after having had 'just a couple'?
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
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