Ethics and Science: An Introduction

by Adam Briggle, Carl Mitcham

Overview

Who owns your genes? What does climate science imply for policy? Do corporations conduct honest research? Should we teach intelligent design? Humans are creating a new world through science. The kind of world we are creating will not simply be decided by expanding scientific knowledge, but will depend on views about good and bad, right and wrong. These visions, in turn, depend on critical thinking, cogent argument and informed judgement. In this book, Adam Briggle and Carl Mitcham help readers to cultivate these skills. They first introduce ethics and the normative structure of science and then consider the 'society of science' and its norms for the responsible conduct of research and the treatment of human and animal research subjects. Later chapters examine 'science in society' – exploring ethical issues at the interfaces of science, policy, religion, culture and technology. Each chapter features case studies and research questions to stimulate further reflection.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521702676
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	10/25/2012
Series:	Cambridge Applied Ethics
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	388
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Adam Briggle is Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion Studies at the University of North Texas. He is the author of A Rich Bioethics: Public Policy, Biotechnology, and the Kass Council (2010).

Carl Mitcham is a philosopher of science and technology in the Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies at Colorado School of Mines (CSM). He is the author of several books including Thinking through Technology (1994) and co-author of Humanitarian Engineering (with David Muñoz, 2010). Mitcham is co-editor (with Stephen Cutcliffe) of Visions of STS: Counterpoints in Science, Technology and Society Studies (2001) and editor of the four-volume Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics (2005).

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Introduction and overview; 2. Ethical concepts and theories; 3. Science and its norms; 4. Research ethics I: misconduct and the responsible conduct of research; 5. Research ethics II: science involving humans; 6. Research ethics III: science involving animals; 7. The science of ethics; 8. Transition: from ethics to politics and policy; 9. Science and politics I: policy for science; 10. Science and politics II: science for policy; 11. Science and ideational culture; 12. Science applied: ethics and engineering; Appendix: influential ethics codes and declarations; Works cited; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"One of the seven titles in the "Cambridge Applied Ethics" series, this book introduces students of science and philosophy to issues often considered outside the central core of either discipline.... The book is attractively laid out and easy to read with a minimum of jargon. A useful resource for students in undergraduate and graduate courses in both science and philosophy, as well as in elective courses in science and ethics.... Recommended..."
—K.M. Foos, emeritus, Indiana University East, CHOICE


"...brings together an updated introduction to ethics, philosophy and the political sociology of science.... The structure of the chapters is clear.... Briggle and Mitcham’s volume has everything one would in principle expect from a textbook.... presentations are as introductory and accessible as possible. This should make it particularly accessible to science and engineering students.... the material provided in this book is so rich and updated that it may be worth trying it in class..."
—David Teira, PhD, UNED (Madrid), Metapsychology Online Reviews

From the Publisher