science

THE ETHICS OF SCIENCE

“If anyone still believes that scientific research is a value-free zone, The Ethics
of Science will disabuse them. David B.Resnik uses a wealth of actual and
hypothetical examples in a clear philosophical discussion that illuminates the
range of ethical concerns that scientists need to face. This is one area where
philosophical argument can serve a practical need:the more scientists who think
carefully about the issues Resnik raises, the better.”
Peter Lipton
Professor of History and Philosophy of Science
University of Cambridge
“Science faculty and students—and an interested public—will find The Ethics
of Science admirably clear, balanced, and richly comprehensive. Resnik’s clarity
shows itself not only in his unpretentious, straight-forwardness, butby being
philosophically sophisticated yet avoiding jargon. An extremely useful aspect of
the book is that virtually every kind of ethical question that arises in and about
science is addressed.”
Hans Oberdiek
Swarthmore College
David B.Resnik is an Associate Professor of Philosophy and the Director of
the Center for the Advancement of Ethics at the University of Wyoming. This is
hisfirst book.

Philosophical Issues in ScienceEdited by W.H.Newton-Smith Balliol College,
Oxford
Real HistoryMartin Bunzl
Brute ScienceHugh LaFollette and Niall Shanks
Living in a Technological CultureMary Tiles and Hans Oberdiek
The Rational and the SocialJames Robert Brown
The Nature of the DiseaseLawrie Reznek
The Philosophical Defence of PsychiatryLawrie Reznek
Inference to the BestExaminationPeter Lipton
Time, Space and PhilosophyChristopher Ray
Mathematics and the Image of ReasonMary Tiles
Evil or Ill?Lawrie Reznek
The Ethics of Science: An IntroductionDavid B.Resnik

THE ETHICS OF SCIENCE
An Introduction
David B.Resnik

London and New York

First published 1998
by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
This edition published in the Taylor & Francise-Library, 2005.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of
thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
© 1998 David B.Resnik
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilized in any form or byany electronic,
mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter
invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication DataResnik, David B., 1962–
The ethics of science: an introduction/David B.Resnik.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Science—Moral and ethical aspects. 2. Research—Philosophy.
I. Title.
Q175.35.R46 1998
174′.95—dc21 97–40514
ISBN 0-203-97906-0 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN 0-415-16697-7 (hbk)
ISBN 0-415-16698-5 (pbk)

In memory of my grandmother,
Muriel Resnik,
whoencouraged me to write.

Contents

Acknowledgments

1
5

Cloning Research

7

The Debate over Cold Fusion
Chapter 2

Science and Ethics
The Baltimore Affair

Chapter 1

ix

9
13

Moral Theory

16

Moral Choices

21

Relativism

25

Science as a Profession

31

Science: From Avocation to Profession

31

The Goals of Science

34

The Contemporary ResearchEnvironment

37

Communication and Science’s Peer Review System

40

The Scientific Method
Chapter 4

13

Ethics, Law, Politics, and Religion

Chapter 3

Ethical Theory and Applications

44

Standards of Ethical Conduct in Science

48

Honesty

48

Carefulness

51

Openness

52

Freedom

54

Credit

55

Education

56

vii

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