Scientists Roles and Responsibilities - Essay Example

Scientists Roles and Responsibilities Introduction Scientists have various roles and responsibilities in the field of technology and scientific development. Their responsibilities often span the field of sociology and ethical practices. This paper shall consider the scientist’s roles and responsibilities as both citizens and as scientists, the impact and management of social values in scientific practice, and the role that government has in the use of scientific knowledge. Discussion Scientists have various social obligations. As citizens, they are obligated to support the democratic society and to take due care of the rights of others (Wolpert, 2002, p. 1). This responsibility comes from the fact that they have knowledge of the world and the general workings of the world – knowledge which is not generally available to other citizens. Therefore, they have to publicize the social and the technological implications of their work and to evaluate its reliability (Wolpert, 2002, p. 2). Generally, the requirements of society in terms of ethical or social responsibility are not as stringent as the requirements of science and technology, as in human and plant genetics. New technologies which are introduced are not based on the ethical and moral determination of scientists because they are not equipped with the skills or the power to make such determination on their own (Wolpert, 2002, p. 2). The use of scientific knowledge raises ethical issues for most people – not scientists alone. In some instances, the determination of ethical threshold cannot be the exclusive province of scientists because such decisions involve other people as well. Looking at it from another angle, scientific decisions cannot also be the main consideration of ordinary people, such as politicians, because these politicians cannot make an adequate determination of the issue (Wolpert, 2002, p. 3). Scientists also have a heavier responsibility towards the members of society in general. Since they have the knowledge about the world in general, they must be active in expressing to the public their opinions and their knowledge – especially when such knowledge can potentially bring forth harm to society and to the environment. Dr. Somerville remarked that: “for me, and maybe for many, I think that going public, and making a statement as an individual, who is also a climate expert, is simply a next logical step. After all, many politicians have said that scientists should be heard more. As long as we are always at pains to make clear that we are speaking only as individuals, not on behalf of our employers or other organizations, them I think we are just behaving as good citizens (as cited by Grinzo, 2010). Scientists working in different areas involved in public policy would also likely be involved in relating to policymakers and to the general public. Scientists “are human beings first, citizens second, and scientists third” (Grinzo, 2010). Because of their training and experience, they are well qualified to speak out on different topics. In making the best judgment about any issue, scientists need to make a cost-benefit analysis in order to avoid getting emotionally attached to the issues. The benefits of scientific activism far outweigh its risks. The current situation of the world, as far as environmental issues are concerned are warning signs of major changes in our environment. And, “we desperately need to take action to minimize the human pain from these changes, and leaving the communicating about climate change to paid and cherry-picked mouthpieces is unfathomably irresponsible” (Grinzo, 2010). Scientists have the responsibility of becoming more vocal about their views, especially when they have, in their hands, knowledge which impacts greatly on our society and on our world as a whole. Without owning up to such responsibility, the remedies which would be implemented by man to repair the dangers posed to our society and our environment, would end up being futile and ineffectual remedies. In considering the impact and management of social values in scientific practice, different sociologists have weighed in on its knowledge and application. For one, feminists have considered the value of masculinity in the scientific profession on the content of science and on the concepts of its knowledge and practice (Longino, 2006). Feminist historians and philosophers have considered the different models of scientific knowledge intending to consider the issues of science. The psycho-dynamic model of knowledge has argued that the different patterns of masculine psychological development were associated with knowledge and domination. As a result, the scientific theories have always reflected the interests of those in power (Longino, 2006). Science is built on the values of individuals and individual scientists often express their cultures and lives when they involve themselves in scientific activities (Allchin, 1988). In some cases, where women and minorities have been excluded from professional undertakings, they have been excluded from scientific activities as well. In instances when they have participated in science, they have not been cited and included in the pages of history. The conclusions of science have also been biased – often portraying the values and beliefs of those who practice it. In the simplest context, the evolution of humans as conceptualized by Europeans portrayed the European races to be far more advanced in their development as compared to the Negroes (Allchin, 1988). Consequently, people of African descent have been deemed inferiors and less developed. Such values have largely influenced the way scientific practice has been developed and enriched over the years – with social values determining the trends and direction of the practice. Government has varied roles in the use of scientific knowledge. Their role has mostly been regulatory as in all other human activities. The government’s role has mostly been, in relation to scientific knowledge, focused on policy-making. These policies help regulate the use of scientific knowledge – to be within the legal and ethical standards of human existence (Pouyat, et.al., 2010, p. 323). They also provide support and funding for their use in the hope of providing link-ups for the benefit of the people. Government agencies also help provide translations to the complexities of the scientific practice. They help provide grants and peer supervision to protect relevant stakeholders (Pouyat, et.al., 2010, p. 324). In the end, government helps keep in check the pace and the trends in the practice – to keep them within the standards of ethical and legal practice for the protection of man and the maintain research agendas. Works Cited Allchin, D. (1988) Values in Science: An Introduction, University of Minnesota, viewed 25 December 2010 from http://www1.umn.edu/ships/ethics/values.htm Grinzo, L. (2010) Pondering the role of scientists, The Energy Collective, viewed 25 December 2010 from http://theenergycollective.com/lougrinzo/42562/pondering-role-scientists Longino, H. (2006) The Social Dimensions of Scientific Knowledge, Stanford University, viewed 25 December 2010 from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scientific-knowledge-social/ Pouyat, R., Weathers, K., Hauber, R., Lovett, G., Bartuska, A., Christenson, L., Davis, J., Findlay, S., Menninger, H., Rosi-Marshall, E., Stine, P., & Lymn, N. (2010) The role of federal agencies in the application of scientific knowledge, Front Ecol Environ volume 8, number 6: pp. 322–328 Wolpert, L. (2002) Is Science Dangerous? Nobel Symposium (NS 120) “Virtual Museums and Public Understanding of Science and Culture” May 26-29, 2002, Stockholm, Sweden. Read More