PHIL 241 Topics in Ethics: Research Ethics
TTh 11:30-1:20 plus a F quiz section (11:30-12:20 or 12:30-1:20); 5 credits; I&S/VLPA, Optional “W” credit
Is there research that scientists shouldn’t do?
• Are scientists responsible for harm caused by their research?
• What role do (or should) social values play in science?
• Can risks to animal or human subjects be justified in the name of science?
• What does scientific fraud teach us about research integrity?
• How do scientists navigate the conflicting demands of funding agencies, industry, stakeholders, and their own research communities?
• Should scientists play an active role in policy debates that depend on the results of their research?
Every aspect of our lives is affected by scientific research. Most of us will be research subjects at one time or another; all of us are affected by science-based policies; our everyday-lives have been transformed by the results of scientific research – in good and bad ways