The responsibility of a scientist who is also performing a political function

Abstract

The article discusses the philosophical foundations of ethical responsibility. It ponders the question whether scientific progress should be associated with an unlimited degree of freedom to conduct research. It discusses in detail the distinction between responsibility in the formal sense and material sense introduced by Hans Jonas. It considers several examples of the similarities between politics and science as disciplines and elaborates on aspects which connect them. It treats Kant’s notion of the categorical imperative as a point of departure towards exploring the boundaries of political responsibility verses individual responsibility. It subsequently goes on to ask the question whether scientists and politicians are faced with a greater sense of responsibility towards the wellbeing of future generations. Finally, it analyses the example of the Environment Minister and later Secretary of State Jan Szyszko, who is also an entomologist and a researcher of animal population. It aims to establish whether his conduct as a minister was influenced by the and values he attained as a member of the scientific community.