Re: [asa] false witness and scientific integrity

Thomas,

This is only tangientially related to your idea, but I
thought you and the rest of the forum might find this
BBC story of interest...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/6729537.stm

Christine Smith

--- Thomas Robey <tom_robey@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> I am a graduate student in the biomedical sciences
> who
> has a long-standing interest in ethics and the
> broader
> impact of science. I have been mulling an idea for
> independent study and am interested in hearing your
> ideas about it.
>
> There have been numerous instances in the past few
> years of lapses in scientific integrity -
> particularly
> in my field of stem cell biology. These instances
> make good case studies for ethics instruction, but
> also point to the current trend in biomedical
> research
> toward higher levels of competition for fewer
> resources. In this new environment, it is easier to
> lose track of the foundations of objective reporting
> and the ideal of value-free observation that are
> central to the power of science as a tool to
> understand our world.
>
> What I am proposing is a study of the ninth
> commandment, whether it informed the rise of the
> scientific method, and how it could be brought to
> bear
> to realign the practice of science today. In its
> context, bearing false witness against one's
> neighbor
> was a more relational commandment - important for
> maintenance of a fair and just society. I see it
> possible to reinterpret the commandment as the
> scientist's imperative.
>
> My background is mainly science, but I studied
> history
> and philosophy of science as an undergrad, and have
> been quite active with the biomedical ethics
> community
> here at the University of Washington. I am not at
> all
> familiar with any literature regarding biomedical
> ethics or scientific integrity from a Christian or
> Jewish perspective. I am pursuing this for my own
> purposes - not for any course or degree requirement,
> although I would like to see what it is like to do
> scholarly work that touches on science and faith.
>
> With this context, I would greatly appreciate your
> willingness to share with me:
>
> 1) resources I could read about these topics
> 2) whether this issue has been adequately addressed
> (is there room for new thought?)
> 3) your impressions of my ideas as I have abstracted
> them here.
>
> Feel free to respond to me off line or in the
> setting
> of this list.
>
> Peace to you,
>
> thomas robey
>
>
>
>
>
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"For we walk by faith, not by sight" ~II Corinthians 5:7

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Received on Thu Jun 7 08:58:11 2007