The Price of Truth: How Money Affects the Norms of Science (Practical and Professional Ethics)

Modern science is big business. Governments, universities, and corporations have invested billions of dollars in scientific and technological research in the hope of obtaining power and profit. For the most part, this investment has benefited science and society, leading to new discoveries, inventions, disciplines, specialties, jobs, and career opportunities. However, there is a dark side to the influx of money into science. Unbridled pursuit of financial gain in science can undermine scientific norms, such as objectivity, honesty, openness, respect for research participants, and social responsibility. In The Price of Truth , David B. Resnik examines some of the important and difficult questions resulting from the financial and economic aspects of modern science. How does money affect scientific research? Have scientists become entrepreneurs bent on making money instead of investigators searching for the truth? How does the commercialization of research affect the public's perception of science? Can scientists prevent money from corrupting the research enterprise? What types of rules, polices, and guidelines should scientists adopt to prevent financial interests from adversely affecting research and the public's opinion of science? Resnik examines some of the important and difficult questions resulting from the financial and economic aspects of modern science. He invistigates and analyzes the relationship between the pursuit of financial gain and the pursuit of knowledge. He considers how money can affect the conduct of scientists, universities, government agencies, and corporations. He also explores how moral, social, and political values affect public and private funding research. Finally, he proposes some policies for controlling, regulating, and monitoring financial interests in research and for counteracting money's corrupting effects on science Abbreviations Science and Mammon The norms of science Scientific objectivity Money and the norms of science Conflicts of interest : When is disclosure not enough? Intellectual property : balancing public and private interests Publication : openness and accountability Government funding of R&D : science as a public good Conclusion : valuing truth and integrity in research Modern science is big business. This book examines some of the important and difficult questions resulting from the financial and economic aspects of modern science such as: How does money affect scientific research? Have scientists become entrepreneurs bent on making money instead of investigators searching for the truth? 'The Price of Truth' delivers a provocative attack of the modern institute of science. It proposes remedies to fix the problem