• Question: In your opinion, what is the best ethical framework to use when considering sensitive scientific issues? I think that utilitarianism offers a good structure and that's what I'd use.

    Asked by freddie to Adam, Sheila, Suzie on 24 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Suzie Sheehy

      Suzie Sheehy answered on 24 Mar 2011:

      Hi Freddie, to be honest I’m not an ethicist so I’m not sure I really want to answer this one… though I do know some medical ethicists and have done some really interesting sessions with them about who should be given preference in medical treatments. It’s a big issue!

    • Photo: Adam Tuff

      Adam Tuff answered on 24 Mar 2011:

      I’ve been fortunate enough to do work that involves very little danger and therefore ethics, but obviously in a wider perspective I am a nuclear physicist, and particularly at this time there are a lot of ethics regarding the use of nuclear power. I don’t conscribe to utalitarianism because there is no room for “blue sky” research – i.e. doing research that may not produce any benefit, but could uncover things that could become extremely useful – so many things have been discovered this way. I do think otherwise, it’s a good moral code to follow, but it has exceptions.

    • Photo: Sheila Kanani

      Sheila Kanani answered on 24 Mar 2011:

      I think a dictatorship works quite well. Pref. if I am in charge! 😉

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