Abstract

In the pursuit of science and its academic incarnation, ethics describes those principles of responsible conduct that promote mutual trust and warrant against misrepresentation. Because scientific research is archival and cumulative, the success of the scientific enterprise depends critically on faithfulness to commonly accepted practices across languages, cultures, and times.  Lack of awareness of, or adherence to, mutually accepted principles of responsible conduct among scientific practitioners undermines public trust in scientific principles and raises the specter of capricious policymaking. The purpose of this talk is to inspire and provoke a healthy attitude of professional integrity in the exercise of scientific research and publishing. The discussion will consider situations in which public policy decisions may be affected by the recommendations of scientists and engineers and where conflicts may arise between the accepted paradigms of scientific inquiry and the expectations of the public.