Scientific Ethics Research Articles

Challenges of adhering to scientific research ethics in the artificial intelligence applications- a study on a sample of algerian researchers

This study aims to explore the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the accuracy and efficiency of scientific research, while focusing on the ethical challenges associated with it. It also seeks to assess the level of awareness of AI ethics among Algerian researchers and the adequacy of current policies in dealing with these challenges, such as issues of plagiarism, privacy violation, and biased results. This will provide a deeper understanding of the reality of scientific research in Algeria in light of rapid technological developments. An electronic questionnaire was used, targeting a group of Algerian researchers, reaching a sample size of 623 individuals. Through this questionnaire, we aimed to collect data that would enable us to provide recommendations to enhance the responsible and ethical use of AI tools while maintaining the integrity and reliability of scientific research. The study found that the respondents demonstrated varying levels of awareness of the ethical implications of using AI in their research, with a lack of adequate training and resources to help researchers deal with the ethical complexities of AI-based research. The study also confirms that current ethical policies and regulations in Algeria are insufficient to effectively address the challenges posed by AI. This calls for the establishment of a comprehensive legal framework in the near future and the updating of ethical guidelines to regulate the use of AI in academic research.

An Action Research on Basic Competence in Science and Technology in Social Studies Course

Social Studies course is one of the basic courses that prepare students for social life. Change and development have become important in science and technology in the present time. Social Studies course has found its place in the development and change in science and technology. Developments in science and technology are given in Social Studies course, considering the basic competences in science and technology. The aim of this research is to reveal the process of activities related to the basic competence area of social studies course regarding science and technology and to determine the views of students and teachers regarding this process. The research was designed in action research pattern which is one of the qualitative research methods. The research was conducted in the first and second semesters of 2022-2023 academic year. The participants of the research are 6th grade students and their social studies teacher. The data of the research, observation form, teacher and student diaries, student products, semi-structured interview forms were gathered via video recordings of the researcher in the process. Data analysis of the research was conducted using descriptive analysis method. In the research it was concluded that the activities conducted regarding basic competence in science and technology in social studies course entertained the students during the course, the course was better comprehended and the subjects were learned easily. In addition, it was concluded that the activities related to the basic competence in science and technology in Social Studies course improved students' ability to conduct research using scientific research process, and realized the importance of the scientific ethics concept, respect for labor and citing references. Considering the results of the research, recommendations for practitioners and researchers were made.

A Critical Comparison of Kautilya's 'Arthashastra' and Machiavelli's 'The Prince', Their Political Theories and Philosophies

Kautilya’s Arthashastra was translated to English in the year 1915, since then its comparison with Machiavelli started. Chanakya is credited with the creation of Arthashastra, a magnum opus on statecraft, law, military, and other matters of the state. The Arthashastra is the oldest book on political science and political ethics, and he introduced many other prominent issues to be kept in mind compared to Machiavelli. Machiavelli only concentrates on political and fiscal matters, Kautilya writes about the importance of land settlements, promotion of economic activity, rules of society, construction of infrastructure, defence, and communication. He has given a list of behavioral codes for ministers, king, and civilians. There is mention of diverse levels of administration, various departments and the roles for the officials are clearly defined. And the entire administration was based on the foundation of ‘Dharma’. Arthashastra is a comprehensive, coherent, original document while on the other hand Machiavelli was seeking a job and he sent his manuscript with job application. Consequently, he covered a very few topics and did not analyze any topic in depth. Though written and complied centuries apart and prior to Machiavelli’s Prince, The Arthashastra is much more detailed and complete text on state craft which is relevant even today. Some researchers have even gone to the extent of saying that, comparing Machiavelli’s Prince to Kautilya’s Arthashastra is like comparing a candlelight to that of sunlight.

Historical Continuity and Scientific Ethics in the Psychological Legacy of G. V. Sukhodolsky (For the 90th Anniversary of His Birth)

The article is devoted to the author’s reflection and analysis of a number of episodes of the scientific biography of the famous Soviet scientist, a prominent representative of the Leningrad/St. Petersburg Psychological School, Gennady Vladimirovich Sukhodolsky. His struggle for the ethical component of scientific activity, for historical continuity in Russian psychological science at all stages of its development is shown. His work on the return of the honest name of N.Ya. Growth is being considered. The rehabilitation of pre-revolutionary Russian psychology, which was ideologically influence in Soviet times, has been carried out. The role of scientific schools and their leaders in ensuring historical continuity and scientific ethics in Russian psychology is discussed.

Philosophy within Data Science Ethics Courses

There is wide agreement that ethical considerations are a valuable aspect of a data science curriculum, and to that end, many data science programs offer courses in data science ethics. There are not always, however, explicit connections between data science ethics and the centuries-old work on ethics within the discipline of philosophy. Here, we present a framework for bringing together key data science practices with ethics topics. The ethics topics were collated from 16 data science ethics courses with public-facing syllabi and reading lists. We encourage individuals who are teaching data science ethics to engage with the philosophical literature and its connection to current data science practices, which are rife with potentially morally charged decision points.

Ethical principles for ecology and environmental ethics: What ecology can learn about applied ethics from biomedical ethics

AbstractThis article uses a familiar and successful framework to organize and systematize the ethics of ecology and environmental science. Mid‐level principles have helped make the field of bioethics well understood and enabled it to influence laws, policies, and clinical decision‐making. We propose that a new set of principles could do the same for the larger field of environmental ethics. As was true with bioethics, the principles chosen need to already be well‐established. The insight is that to offer a complete analysis of a case or situation one must consider all of the principles. Thus one must choose a small set of mutually exclusive and jointly exhaustive principles. While there are thousands of articles using each of our principles, no one has identified them as a set of principles that can be easily taught and used to resolve dilemmas. Thus this article can help advance ecological and environmental ethics. Each of the four principles is briefly defined, and a little of their history and some current examples provided for each. The principles are: The Precautionary Principle, Biodiversity, Environmental Justice, and Sustainability. As a group they represent a complete picture of the ethical territory we must deal with in every value‐laden choice, clarifying why disagreements happen and what is at stake when trade‐offs must be made.

Influence of a structured, 1-year-long dietary intervention regarding body composition and cardiovascular risk (ARCTIC) in coeliac disease: a protocol of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

IntroductionCoeliac disease (CD) affects 1% of the population worldwide. The only available evidence-based treatment is a strict gluten-free diet (GFD), which can readily lead to weight gain and unfavourable metabolic...

Conceptual framework for considering animal welfare in sustainability assessments of foods

In recent years, many studies analyzed the environmental, health and economic implications of the production and consumption of different foods – and, on this basis, evaluated their sustainability. However, associated impacts on animals have remained largely unexamined and existing assessment approaches are still immature and often lack reflection on their normative assumptions and resulting implications. As animal welfare concerns increase, this represents a shortcoming, leaving a critical sustainability issue without due consideration. To address this, we develop a conceptual framework that guides the key decisions for assessing animal welfare impacts of foods. The framework is derived from an integrative literature review and revised following external feedback from expert focus groups. It bridges the research fields of food system modeling, animal welfare science and animal ethics and can guide researchers in developing assessment approaches and assessing animal welfare impacts of foods, from individual food items to whole diets. The framework also directs transparent communication of the most important assessment decisions. We outline key considerations for animal welfare assessments of foods, highlight associated challenges and discuss quality criteria as well as technical and normative strategies to address them. Our contribution provides a basis for future research to integrate animal welfare into sustainability evaluations of food and investigate tradeoffs and synergies with environmental, social or economic issues. Following this framework in future assessments facilitates the integration of animal welfare into food-related policy assessments and public decisions.

이중결과 원리의 도덕과 수업

Purpose: This paper aims to apply the principle of double effect (PDE) to morality and teaching by rethinking the principle as a moral reconceptualization that enables students' moral growth and moral practice by reconciling consequentialist and deontological ethics in the tradition of universal ethics. Methods: First, the principle of double bottom line was analyzed to recognize the need for it to be addressed in school lessons and to summarize its educational value. Next, we used a jigsaw model to implement the principle of double bottom line. Step-by-step instructions, teaching and learning guides, examples of assessment criteria, and examples of materials were presented to help teachers envision how the principle of double bottom line could be applied in their classrooms. Finally, the significance and deficiencies of the lessons were presented to show how the educational value of the theory is being realized in the lessons, reflective evaluation of the measures, and the need and direction of further research. Results: This paper presents the principle of double effect (PDE) as a reflection of the consequentialist aspect of ethics, which defines the purpose of morality as serving the human good, while at the same time respecting the consideration of deontological constraints expressed in the moral law, and reconstructs it as a concept for educational application, noting the educational value that characterizes it as an integrated universal ethics. Conclusion: A moral science course based on the principle of double consequences will contribute to the moral growth of students on a foundation of universal ethics.

Service Quality Perceived by Athletes: The Case of Local Government Youth Centre

Meeting the needs in social life is given to local governments by the state. Local governments are responsible for meeting the social needs of individuals. Today, youth center areas are built by local governments to meet the social needs of young people and to create social areas. These are areas opened by local governments to protect the mental and physical health of all young people, to provide socio -cultural support, to contribute to the education of young people in line with their interests and to develop their skills. Athletes mostly use these areas for their physical development. These explanations and expressions, in our research, athletes local administrations youth in the centers perceived service of the quality examination is intended. In our research, we used a 10-question personal information forum (Gender, Educational Status, Branch, Monthly Income Status, Age, Your Mother's Educational Status, Your Father's Educational Status, Your Mother's Profession, Your Father's Profession) created by the researchers. The "Perceived Service Quality Scale in Youth Centers" , whose validity and reliability study was conducted by Polat et al. (2013), consisting of 23 items and a 5-point Likert type consisting of three sub-dimensions ( Physical Environment Quality , Interaction Quality, Output Quality ) , was used. The sample of the research consists of 349 (n=145 Female, n=204 Male) volunteer athletes who are actively involved in three different sports branches (n=177 Athletics, n=116 Table Tennis, n=116 Cycling). The data of the research, which was designed as an analytical cross-sectional type, was collected face to face after receiving approval from the Siirt University Social Sciences and Humanities Research Ethics Committee. The data obtained in the research were evaluated in the SPSS 25.0 package program. As a result of the normality analysis of the scale, it was seen that the significance values were greater than 0.05 and it was decided to use non-parametric analyzes in the analysis. In our research, Kruskal Wallis H Test and Man Witney U Test were applied. In the statistical analysis, there was a statistically significant difference in the variables of gender, education level, monthly income level, your mother's education level, your father's education level and the sub-dimensions of the perceived service quality scale in youth centers and the scale general scores. It was observed that there was no statistical difference in the sub-dimensions of the scale of perceived service quality in youth centers and the overall scores of the scale with the variables of profession, your father's profession. As a results;In line with the findings obtained in our research, athletes local administrations youth in the centers perceived service of the quality mom and father education status , gender , education status , monthly income status with statistical aspect difference it shows detection has been made .

The optimal antibiotic treatment duration for community-acquired pneumonia in adults diagnosed in general practice in Denmark (CAP-D): an open-label, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial

BackgroundUse of antibiotics is the main driver of antimicrobial resistance which is considered one of the biggest threats to human health. In Denmark, most antibiotics are prescribed in general practice. Acute lower respiratory tract infections, including community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), are among the most frequent indications for antibiotic prescribing. Phenoxymethylpenicillin is established as first-line treatment in general practice in Denmark. However, the treatment duration with phenoxymethylpenicillin is mostly based on traditions. Both 5 and 7 days of treatment is recommended in Danish guidelines, and when asking the general practitioners about what treatment duration, they prescribe the variation is even bigger. Several hospital-based studies have proven short course (≤ 6 days) antibiotic treatment non-inferior to long course (≥ 7 days) treatment of CAP. No evidence exists on the optimal treatment duration for CAP in non-hospitalised patients.This randomised controlled trial aim to investigate the optimal treatment duration with phenoxymethylpenicillin for CAP in adults diagnosed in general practice in Denmark.MethodsThis is an open-label, pragmatic, randomised controlled, five-arm DURATIONS trial. Participants will be recruited from at least 24 general practices in Denmark. Eligible participants are adults, with no pre-existing lung disease, presenting with symptoms of CAP, and in whom the general practitioner finds it relevant to treat with antibiotics. The study will compare treatment with phenoxymethylpenicillin 1.2 MIE q.i.d. in 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days.DiscussionThis study will provide evidence for the optimal antibiotic treatment duration of CAP in general practice and inform future guidelines on CAP in all countries using phenoxymethylpenicillin for the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections in adults. The results of this study might also be used to guide treatment recommendations in other countries using phenoxymethylpenicillin.Moreover, a (potential) reduction in antibiotic use might lower the development of antimicrobial resistance, increase patient treatment adherence, reduce risks of adverse events, and lower the economical expTrial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06295120. Registered 28 February 2024. The Scientific Ethics Committee for the North Denmark Region: N-20230039.

Innovative local authority public health interventions to support the mental health of children and young people

PurposeMental health champions (MHCs) and young health ambassadors (YHAs) are two innovative public health interventions. MHCs are practitioners who work in schools and other youth settings and aim to be the “go to” person for mental health in these settings. YHAs are a linked parallel network of young people, who champion mental health and advocate for youth involvement, which was co-produced with young people across all stages of development implementation. This paper aims to identify the potential benefits, barriers and facilitators of these interventions.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 19) were undertaken with a purposive sample of n = 13 MHCs, and n = 6 YHAs, between June 2021 and March 2022. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymised and then analysed following a thematic approach. Ethical approval was granted by Newcastle University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences Ethics Committee.FindingsThe findings are organised under five key themes: motivating factors and rewards for MHCs and YHAs; outcomes for children and young people (CYP) and others; impact on youth settings and culture; facilitators of successful implementation; and implementation challenges and opportunities.Practical implicationsThese findings are intended to be of relevance to practice and policy, particularly to those exploring the design, commissioning or implementation of similar novel and low-cost interventions, which aim to improve mental health outcomes for CYP, within the context of youth settings.Originality/valueThe interventions reported on in the present paper are novel and innovative. Little research has previously been undertaken to explore similar approaches, and the individual experiences of those involved in the delivery of these types of interventions.

China’s Legal Practices Concerning Challenges of Artificial General Intelligence

The artificial general intelligence (AGI) industry, represented by ChatGPT, has impacted social order during its development, and also brought various risks and challenges, such as ethical concerns in science and technology, attribution of liability, intellectual property monopolies, data security, and algorithm manipulation. The development of AI is currently facing a crisis of trust. Therefore, the governance of the AGI industry must be prioritized, and the opportunity for the implementation of the Interim Administrative Measures for Generative Artificial Intelligence Services should be taken. It is necessary to enhance the norms for the supervision and management of scientific and technological ethics within the framework of the rule of law. Additionally, it is also essential to continuously improve the regulatory system for liability, balance the dual values of fair competition and innovation encouragement, and strengthen data-security protection systems in the field of AI. All of these will enable coordinated governance across multiple domains, stakeholders, systems, and tools.

Cross-National Variations in Scientific Ethics: Exploring Ethical Perspectives Among Scientists in China, the US, and the UK

This research explores the perspectives of academic physicists from three national contexts concerning their roles and responsibilities within the realm of science. Using a dataset comprised of 211 interviews with scientists working in China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, the study seeks to explain whether and in what manner physicists conceptualize scientific ethics within a global or national framework. The empirical findings bring to light disparities across nations in the physicists’ perceptions of what constitutes responsible mentorship and engagement in public service. These cross-national variations underscore the moral agency of physicists as they navigate the ethical standards embraced by the global scientific community vis-à-vis those that are specific to their respective national contexts. The study’s empirical insights may carry significant implications for both policymakers and ethicists, underscoring the imperative of soliciting and acknowledging the perspectives of academic scientists working and living in disparate national contexts when formulating comprehensive science ethics frameworks. Such inclusive and context-aware approaches to shaping ethics in science can contribute to the cultivation of a more robust and universally relevant ethical foundation for the scientific community.

Food Neophobia in Children: A Case Study in Federal District/Brazil.

A reluctance to eat and/or avoidance of novel foods is characterized as food neophobia (FN). FN restricts the diet to familiar foods when, in fact, it should be much more varied. FN can be a barrier to healthy foods, affecting the quality of diet, and impairing children's growth and development. Therefore, according to their caregivers' perceptions, this study aimed to evaluate FN in children from Federal District/Brazil. The Brazilian Children's Food Neophobia Questionnaire (BCFNeo), a specific instrument developed and validated in Brazil, was answered by caregivers of children aged 4 to 11 y/o. Sampling occurred through snowball recruitment, being convenient and non-probabilistic. The Health Sciences Ethics Committee approved the study. The analysis evaluated FN in total (BCFNeoTot) and in the following domains: general (FNgen), for fruits (FNfru), and for vegetables (FNveg). FN scores were compared between sex and child's age and categorized according to three ordinal levels. FN levels were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. The Friedman test, followed by the Wilcoxon test with Bonferroni correction, was performed to analyze differences in FN according to the environment. Of the caregivers' answers for their children, 595 answers were included, because 19 were out of age. The prevalence of high FN was 42.9%. The domain with the highest prevalence of high FN was vegetables (48.6%). Children aged 8 to 11 y/o had a higher mean FN in two domains (FNgen p = 0.047 and FNveg p = 0.038) when compared to children aged 4 to 7 y/o. Boys were more neophobic in all domains (FNgen p = 0.017; FNfru p = 0.010; FNveg p = 0.013; BCFNeoTot p = 0.008), and FN tends not to decrease with age. The results showed that the children of the FD are more neophobic than Brazilian children in general, highlighting the importance of additional studies in FN determinants in this population and nutritional education interventions to reduce FN among FD children.

Filsafat Ilmu dan Etika Keilmuan dalam Pengembangan Ilmu Pengetahuan Modern dan Upaya dalam Menangani Problematika Etika Filsafat Ilmu

The development of science also accompanies the development of modern society. Science that develops and bring schange sto humans that causes problems from material aspects to mental aspects. The rapid development of modern science and technology takes into account the aspects of systems, values, values and religious values, so that moral degradation has emerged. The purpose of this research is to examine the implications of the philosophy of science in the development of modern scientific et hics.The method us edin this researchis literature study.The discussi on analysis shows that the philosophy of science must be integrated philosophically in order to realize scientific functions, especially in moral, intellectual and social aspects.This is because science is neutral and disagrees with good or bad, considering that it isscience who has the right to determine the attitude. Utilization of science for human settlement in the operations of the owner of knowledge and its contribution to the problems of human life. As science develops, it is the philosophy of science that plays a role in realizing good scientific ethics. The existence of the philosophy of science aims to restore sciencein order to continue to encourage people to think and be have wisely and wisely.

Dr. Casey Fiesler: Making tech ethics go viral

MIT Science Policy Review spoke with Dr. Casey Fiesler about her work to bring technology ethics to the general public through social media. Dr. Fiesler is an Associate Professor of Information Science (and Computer Science by courtesy) at the University of Colorado Boulder, specializing in the areas of technology ethics, internet law and policy, and online communities. Dr. Fiesler’s work on research ethics for data science, ethics education in computing, and broadening participation in computing has been supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and she is the recipient of an NSF CAREER Award. As a public scholar, she frequently speaks on topics of technology ethics and policy, and her research has been covered in a wide variety of media outlets, from The New York Times to Teen Vogue (though she’s particularly proud of her TikToks). Dr. Fiesler holds a PhD in Human-Centered Computing and a JD from Vanderbilt Law School. We had a conversation with Dr. Fiesler about her widely followed social media channels, where she addresses technology ethics with the general public. You can follow her on Instagram and TikTok @professorcasey.

Science and Islamic ethics: Navigating artificial womb technology through Quranic principles

This paper explores the complex interplay between scientific innovation and religious ethics, with a specific focus on the ethical implications of Artificial Womb Technology (AWT) as interpreted through the lens of Quranic teachings on the essence of life. The objective is to meld the burgeoning field of reproductive technologies with the foundational principles of Islamic theology through an examination of Islamic jurisprudential rulings, contemporary bioethical discourse and innovations in reproductive technology. In addition to attention given to the compatibility of AWT with Islamic teachings concerning the sanctity of life, there is also a focus on the concept of motherhood and the preservation of family structure. This study undertakes an extensive exploration of both historical and contemporary interpretations of Islamic precepts, culminating in the establishment of an ethical framework. This framework is designed to harmonise religious doctrines with the exigencies of reproductive science by proposing normative guidelines for the ethical implementation of AWT and similar technologies. This paper makes a substantial contribution to academic discourse on science and religion by integrating advancements in reproductive health technology with moral principles intrinsic to the Islamic faith.

Computer English Teaching in Summer Learning Programs As Foreign Language

Language is the mode of identity and recognition. Summer learning programs are essential in helping children and young people interact and develop solid ethical bonds in different communities. Current issues related to the linguistic and philosophical nature of socio-ethical vocabulary in terms of diachronic are discussed in the article. Based on the analysis of a large amount of historical and philosophical material, the authors present their interpretation of the formation stages of the vocabulary of ethics as an integral part of the general philosophical vocabulary. However, each time and in each country, the interpretation of ethical concepts and norms, and therefore terms, was of a concrete historical and purely national character. In view of the objectives of this article, we consider it necessary to give a brief overview of the ethics of antiquity and the Middle Ages in order to understand and consider the specific role of ethics in science and practice of later historical eras. The authors hope that adopting pre-communicative activities as a part of the teaching method will be more effective in learning English as a foreign language.

Nature's value and biodiversity ethics in a changing world: Insights from a special issue and questions for the future

Motivated by philosophical quandaries arising from environmental ethics and the moral philosophy of biodiversity, we convened a special issue of Biological Conservation entitled “Ethics and practice of biodiversity science: how hidden moral assumptions impact conservation research and policy,” inviting a range of expert voices to examine these questions from a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, and traditions. We sought to discover how many of the founding value statements of conservation biology were still current, and if new any ones had supplemented or replaced them. Broad initial momentum from a wide range of contributors soon met with the headwinds of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we eventually emerged with 34 global contributors representing a diverse array of viewpoints. The contributed pieces range from philosophical investigations of value in Nature, applied conservation ethics for endangered species, the rights and roles of Indigenous peoples, macroevolutionary processes of mass extinction, human well-being and social justice, the history of colonialism in conservation, and subtle cultural differences between global powers with respect to Nature. All speak to often unstated values in conservation science. Finally, we offer some questions of our own stemming from these contributions that might provide new or expanded avenues for investigation.