Ethics Assignment
Write a 2-page essay on aspect of scientific ethics
OR
On a legal or philosophical problem in science or history of science
Problem is a key word
Organization
State the problem explicitly
Don’t be afraid to do some research!
Use references (Examples: Are there criteria for discarding data? What do the courts
say about fair use?)
Consider alternative solutions
Choose the “best” solution, given your constraints
Draw firm conclusion
References
Not required but certainly needed for many topics
Possible topics
Deborah’s culling of data (from NAS book)
Rejecting data in general; extrapolating from data
Fraud in science
Plagiarism (from NAS book, or plagiarism in general)
Ben’s nondisclosure of proprietary information (not in NAS book)
Patent infringement
Industrial espionage
Should you be allowed to patent a gene?
Working for an industry or government agency whose goals you oppose
Performing university research for an industry for which you also consult
Mistreatment of students or subordinates
Unionization of faculty, grad students
Selecting coauthors and allocating credit (incl acknowledgments, reference citations)
Sharing research materials
Is string theory science?
What distinguishes science from other endeavors (demarcation problem)?
Is falsification enough?
Anything else you please
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