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Trinh Truong's picture

Scientists are humans first, and scientists second.

Here is a summary of various ideas that were percolating in my mind, which I was unable to adequately articulate at the time. To answer the question alluding to Galileo, I would say that in our complex society full of complex individuals whose moral priorities vary, many are indeed “inventive dwarfs who can be hired for any purpose." Science as a practice does not have any intrinsic morality. Many scientific endeavors are morals-neutral, and begin as an investigation of individual’s compelling curiosity, barren of any moral purpose. However, sometimes the discoveries to these scientific investigations can lead to significant moral impact. In such cases, it is the impact of these discoveries and inventions on humanity that leads to science being infected with moral dilemmas. We as human beings do have moral obligations to one another, and in any profession, whether it is architecture, medicine, or science, we must consider the impact that our work have on others. Although science is morals-neutral, we are not. We do not accommodate science by changing who we should be; we practice science within the parameters of our humanity, because we are humans first and scientists second. So the question that should be asked is not whether scientists should assume responsibility for the impacts of their work, but whether individuals as human beings should assume responsibility for their work, regardless of their profession.

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