Morality Question?

Question

Should scientists use morality? Please explain. What is morality to you?

This is some research im doing, so i just need some opinions.

Answer 1

Julio has it right.

The existence of more than one possible approach does not automatically validate moral relativism, as when the lawyers at the Nuremburg trial found out (to their very great dismay) that every barbaric act of cruelty the Nazis had done was perfectly legal in Nazi Germany at the time it was done. Hmmmm. The Nazis were not let off the hook. There are some things which are ethically abhorrent, such as torture, pogroms, genocide. That's what the Geneva Convention established, amongst other things.

Scientists who work in an ethical vacuum are no different than lawyers, businessmen or politicians who behave the same way. These groups are hated (perhaps unjustly) by the US society at large for this very perception.

Morality is action within an ethical framework which considers the consequences of the action (for others, not just oneself) and the long term harm or help the action will have, as well as the shorter term results.

There are some actions which simply may not be done, and others which are more a question of personal conscience. It's not a simple answer, and not the same answer all the time, depending on the situation. That neither means it's not worth wrestling with nor does it mean that since it's not black or white it is too complicated to figure out.

Scientists, like everyone else, have to be able to sleep @ night and look at themselves in the mirror in the morning. If they cannot do that without squirming inside or lying to themselves, then I would say there is an ethical issue unresolved somewhere.

Aristotle said that we are what we do. That makes a lot more sense than saying, what some people do is outside the sphere of ethical consideration,... just because.

Great question! Good luck with your research.

;-)

Answer 2

Scientists have to be objective and morality is not objective.
Everyone has a different morality. Aristotle thought that morality was the mean bteween two extrems (rashness...BRAVERY...cowardess). Hobbes said that everyone in out for themselves, so you have to make a social contract with others (Pyschological Egotism). Joseph Butler said there is a conscience. David Hume said that your world view causes you to feel a certain way, but that it is not a consience because each person is different. Nitzsche thought life is a struggle (geneology of morals). So obviously there is one conclusive answer, scientist therefore cannot impose a morality into their work, especially in a field which relies on facts.

Answer 3

Yes, scientists should use morality. In its simplest form, morality is doing what is RIGHT (not necessarily correct). Morality is ABOVE convention, ABOVE petty differences; ABOVE individual (or individual nations) PERCEIVED notions.
Morality is ordained, not by man, Kant, Plato, whomever, but by God.
The day that scientists go by FACTS would be a new day in the world. The so-called "scientific method" means trying to find "facts" to prove their theory. Just read any modern day tale of science and you will know it to be true: from the first known dinosaur; the continental drift theory, evolution, you name it. "Scientists" don't believe in these things until the common populace demands it.

Answer 4

regardless of ones profession there is almost always a moral component. A scientist works with facts, data, etc. to accomplish their work but what they seek to accomplish should be viewed through the lens of perennial moral virtue. One cannot simply create and not take responsibility for ones creation. Read "Frankenstein" with a critical view regarding the topic of science & morality!

Answer 5

"Science sans conscience n'est que ruine de l'âme"* = "Science without conscience is as bad as ruin of the soul "

For instance nuclear researches gave first a nuclear weapon used by US military against 2 Japanese large cities before giving nuclear energy for electric production to the Nation.
The scientists who work for MDW productions (NBC) do certainly know the real danger of their inventions

Answer 6

yeah sur , coz sciences need a good sence , morality is good sence , is the logik.