Research Ethics. a Philosophical Guide to the Responsible Conduct of Research

Description

Education in the responsible conduct of research typically takes the form of online instructions about rules, regulations, and policies. Research Ethics takes a novel approach and emphasizes the art of philosophical decision-making. Part A introduces egoism and explains that it is in the individual's own interest to avoid misconduct, fabrication of data, plagiarism and bias. Part B explains contractualism and covers issues of authorship, peer review and responsible use of statistics. Part C introduces moral rights as the basis of informed consent, the use of humans in research, mentoring, intellectual property and conflicts of interests. Part D uses two-level utilitarianism to explore the possibilities and limits of the experimental use of animals, duties to the environment and future generations, and the social responsibilities of researchers. This book brings a fresh perspective to research ethics and will engage the moral imaginations of graduate students in all disciplines.

Features

• First book to organize all RCR topics according to a step-by-step decision-making procedure
• Useful for students in all disciplines, from natural sciences to social sciences and from engineering to medicine
• Stimulates readers to ask questions about the subject rather than simply to memorize rules and regulations

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part A. Protect my Interests:
1. Report misconduct
2. Avoid plagiarism
3. Beware intuition
4. Justify decisions

Part B. Promote our Interests:
5. Articulate reasons
6. Write cooperatively
7. Protect manuscripts
8. Clarify statistics

Part C. Respect Strangers' Rights:
9. Inform subjects
10. Mentor inclusively
11. Recognize property
12. Reveal conflicts

Part D. Honor All Interests:
13. Treat humanely
14. Preserve environments
15. Cultivate responsibility
Conclusion.