Addressing Ethics in the Natural Course of Research: A Joint Research Course for Philosophy of Science, Engineering, and Science Graduate Students

Illinois Institute Of Technology, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

This combined research and education project--supported by the Ethics Education in Science and Engineering program at NSF--develops a graduate course, for science, engineering and philosophy of science graduate students to engage in joint research and address ethical issues as they naturally arise in research. Through several repetitions followed by assessment and evaluation, the full credit, semester long course will be honed so that it can serve as a model adaptable in many settings and formats. As complex, multi-disciplinary research projects proliferate, observers recognize that the failure of philosophers of science, scientists, and engineers to engage directly with the other two areas is a deficiency. Science is radically social, and experimentation, understanding, knowledge products, and process are enabled by meanings, rules and values that are established by specific communities to make cooperation among its members possible and successful. Many of these elements in the internal dynamics of a scientific community become problematic when placed in a situation of cooperation with members of other communities. Language differences alone -- setting aside other significant differences -- can bring about misunderstanding and too quick dismissal of work in another discipline that might be valuable for collaborative projects. The detailed study of science has shown the value of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary cooperation. But the success stories are often accidental, against the grain of the enculturation of the members of each community and the community's own values. As emerging technologies create new opportunities and bring forth new hazards, many acknowledge that attention to ethics and social responsibility is essential in these new areas. To respond, the proposed course exposes graduate students to a view of science, engineering, and philosophy of science that makes the social and normative aspects of each an essential and valuable part of their understanding of their respective disciplines and research opportunities.