The Problem of Demarcation in Russian Neuroethics: Scientometric Analysis

Abstract

The problem of demarcation is particularly relevant in the institutionalization of new Sciences. A clear example of the problem of demarcation shows neuroethics. Many Sciences take an active part in the formation of neuroethics: medicine, biology, philosophy, bioethics, neurophilosophy, etc. What contribution does each of them make to the formation of the paradigm core of neuroethics? Does the correlation of different epistemic traditions in the subject field of neuroethics evolve and in what direction? Is the current state and dynamics of development of Russian and foreign neuroethics different? Scientometric analysis on bibliometric databases is intensively used abroad to answer such questions. The article presents a study on the basis of the national database of scientific data Scientific electronic library “eLibrary.ru”. the article compares scientometric indicators based on the Mainz Neuroethics Database (MND) and Web of Science (WoS). The article calculates statistics of publication activity in Russian neuroethics show significant differences in the influence of different academic disciplines on the formation and development of neuroethics. However, the growth rates of publications in the field of foreign neuroethics and Russian neuroethics are identical with the lag of 10 years. The study found a lack of reliable connection between publications and citations in the branches of Sciences included in the Russian neuroethics. This result indicates the fragmentation of scientists working in the subject field of Russian neuroethics. The article also reveals that the ratio of different disciplines in Russian neuroethics has not changed over the past decade.