Should Ethics Influence Science?

Question

I believe that ethics should influence science because without ethics, people may be able to conduct barbaric experiments on humans and animal in the name of science. I don't know any other reason...help?

Answer 1

Yes ethics should apply to science.

Frankenstein is an exaggeration of what can happen when you move forward to fast.

I'm disturbed at all the science that's happening in my life without proper consideration of, "Is it right?" Sure, you can do it ... but is it right and just???

Did you know that they have cloned cattle, and we will be eating cloned meat in the next month? Then the cloned cattle will breed with uncloned cattle and we'll never be able to distinguish any real change 'cas scientists and politians are mixing yellow & green in the name of science and feeding it to us. Ewwww ... I don't want to eat cloned meat.

Sure "Ford" was able to make the assembly line and mass produce, but was it a good thing now that we're seeing the environmental changes? Nuclear bombs --- sure we can blow stuff up --- but it comes with the price of "Nuclear Winters" that will destroy all.

Sadly, the profits, and mad scientists are winning. Soon, we'll forget the wisdom gained by our forefathers, and only go off knowledge that will lead us to disaster.

Answer 2

Eli's and MBK's answers were great. So I'll just say ethics should be seen in instituitions of higher learning or in medical facilities for sure. And let's not forget the little science garage/labs at home.

But on the other hand some must be sacraficed for the good will and healing of both the current and futrue populations as well . We must see if new medicnes work properly. Or if methods, procedures, or devices work as they should.

The instilment of ethics should not make us afraid to seek possible solutions for tomorrow. No pain no gain. The sacrafice of the innocents today would be in vain if we close the door today to tomorrow's possible discovery of a cure for a fatal disease of today. We have too many diseases and ailments that need a remedy. And the worlds future depends on it. They need our model of ethics to insure that discovery for new cures is always just around the corner.

Answer 3

Your heart is in a good place, you are hoping you can add raional reasons for what you know intuitively to be right?

In what human activity should ethics be omitted?

Even yahooanswers censors off questions and answers on ethical criteria (e.g. racial abuse)!

Myself, I see ethics in everything... in teaching and learning, in business and sport, in sex and politics, in how people behave when fighting a war and how we make peace after a row, in being a mother, a daughter, an uncle, a son, in laughing and yes even in washing up.

And indeed in science. What is the purpose of science? Is it to add to human happiness? What is the benefit of adding quantity of technological gadgets if they add to misery on the earth? How temporary is any gain to humans won at the expense of cruelty to other creatures or greed at cost to the whole planet? What is the benefit of adding to human knowledge without guidance of wisdom in how to use it?

Would you want to sample through the ice on Mars to see if there is life there and then destroy it? If not, why not? Why the deuce should we value the life on Mars (if there is any)? Your answer will speak from your ethics.

Would you want to find a cure for cystic fibrosis at the cost of the lives of thousands of rats? Your yes or your no comes from your ethics.

What about research using human embryos?

Would you work on improving the design of real fur coats?

Much day-to-day work can go by without ethical content, but if you manage to spend ten years as a scientist without an ethical dilemna, it would be a miracle. OK, as a scientist you don't believe in miracles, so let's say a 1 in 10 to the power 15 probability.

Answer 4

Definitely. What purpose does science have but to promote the wellbeing of the world? If you have to do damage to a person in the name of science, then that would be contrary to the whole purpose of the field. However, the question of what kind of ethics individual scientists advocate/believe in/use is a more difficult issue.

Answer 5

Thomas Edison killed many dogs and cats trying to perfect the electric chair. Animals have been slaughtered wholesale in the perfection of personal care products such as cosmetics. There are loads of scientists that would kill anything trying to make a name for themselves.

Ethics?...what's that?

Answer 6

They should but they won't.