Teaching ethics to scientists: an experience report

Abstract

At present there is a widespread assumption that scientists conducting basic research should not neglect the fact that their work can ultimately have a great impact on society. Construction of the atomic bomb and the development of recombinant DNA – events that grew out of basic research on the nucleus of the atom and investigations of certain bacterial enzymes, respectively – are two examples of how seemingly purely theoretical areas of science can have tremendous social consequences. On the other hand, it should be recognized that the ethical reflection in this area becomes increasingly difficult, because the acceleration of scientific advances in the last few decades raises unprecedented ethical dilemmas. While common moral intuitions are often sufficient for every day moral-decision making, they are insufficient when confronted with the new problems raised by scientific and technological developments. Thus, it seems clear that some specific ethics training is essential to make scientists able to face the emerging challenges. But contemporary ethical concerns do not only cover the potential negative results of scientific activity, but also the procedure itself used for conducting scientific research. There are honest and dishonest ways of doing science. Falsification of data and plagiarism are the most typical examples of scientific misconduct. Of course, allegations of scientific misconduct are not unique to our time. However, what is unique is that now they receive a broad coverage in the mass media. In this respect, it is often acknowledged that each time that a new scandal of scientific dishonesty comes to light, public’s trust in science is seriously deteriorated. Now, there seems to be a consensus that the only effective way to prevent scientific misconduct is through education of young researchers. In the current context, it seems more urgent than ever to provide scientists the conceptual tools they need to develop their ethical reasoning. Based on this concern, an interesting pedagogical experience, which is probably the first of its kind in Germany, took place in October 2002 at the University of Gottingen: PhD students in life sciences coming from all around the world had the opportunity to participate in a teaching module on ethics, which is formally included in the program of their studies. This paper reports on the experience of designing and teaching a first “Seminar on bioethics and research ethics” to postgraduate students in life sciences.