Ethics and Science
An Introduction

This book explores ethical issues at the interfaces of science, policy, religion and technology, cultivating the skills for critical analysis.

Adam Briggle (Author), Carl Mitcham (Author)

9780521878418, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 25 October 2012

388 pages
25.3 x 18.4 x 2 cm, 0.92 kg

'[Ethics and Science] examines science, and engineering and technology, both internally - the research process - and externally - the socio-political context in which it is institutionally set and where its influence will be felt, for the ethical issues entailed in this central twenty-first-century area of study. Revealing case studies frame the issues, which the authors then complement with judicious questions designed to stimulate serious reflection. This volume should be widely adopted, finding an enthusiastic student audience in a wide range of science, engineering, policy, and philosophy courses. Briggle and Mitcham have provided science, technology and society instructors with a very usable classroom text, one that should also be of interest to a wider, engaged public readership as well.' Stephen Cutcliffe, Lehigh University

Who owns your genes? What does climate science imply for policy? Do corporations conduct honest research? Should we teach intelligent design? Humans are creating a new world through science. The kind of world we are creating will not simply be decided by expanding scientific knowledge, but will depend on views about good and bad, right and wrong. These visions, in turn, depend on critical thinking, cogent argument and informed judgement. In this book, Adam Briggle and Carl Mitcham help readers to cultivate these skills. They first introduce ethics and the normative structure of science and then consider the 'society of science' and its norms for the responsible conduct of research and the treatment of human and animal research subjects. Later chapters examine 'science in society' - exploring ethical issues at the interfaces of science, policy, religion, culture and technology. Each chapter features case studies and research questions to stimulate further reflection.

Preface
1. Introduction and overview
2. Ethical concepts and theories
3. Science and its norms
4. Research ethics I: misconduct and the responsible conduct of research
5. Research ethics II: science involving humans
6. Research ethics III: science involving animals
7. The science of ethics
8. Transition: from ethics to politics and policy
9. Science and politics I: policy for science
10. Science and politics II: science for policy
11. Science and ideational culture
12. Science applied: ethics and engineering
Appendix: influential ethics codes and declarations
Works cited
Index.

Subject Areas: Technology: general issues [TB], Philosophy of science [PDA], Ethics & moral philosophy [HPQ]