Above is the cover of "On Being a Scientist" co-published in 1995 by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the National Academy of Medicine (IOM). The content consists of items on the significance of science and what scientists and researchers should be like. The first edition was published in 1989 for instructional purposes. It can be said that it is the rulebook that forms the basis of the ethics of engineers in the United States.
About 15 years ago, at the Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Professor Dale Bauman, who is well known for his homeoresis theory, CLA, and milk fat research, gathered all graduate students and held an event titled "On Being a Scientist." They distributed it to everyone and preached ethics in the form of a lecture. I remember that everyone listened with an atmosphere of "Because that Professor Bauman said so."
A particular emphasis was placed on "cheating" in that lecture. In Japan, there is no rulebook (or it is not known), and the enlightenment of "research ethics" in all fields is lagging behind, and I get the feeling that the public is overflowing with information dissemination that is not conscious of ethics. Misconduct in research ethics, conflicts of interest, and the significance and ideals of science are described below with reference to "On Being a Scientist."
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cheating
“On Being a Scientist” lists the following three types of fraud: Fraud undermines the heart of the values on which science rests, and the consequences are too extreme, which is described in the strongest terms in this book.
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fabrication: Creating data that does not exist in the first place, announcing information that does not exist, etc.
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Falsification:Modifying the obtained data to your advantage, interpreting and reporting as you see fit, etc.
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Plagiarism: Using someone else's ideas, words/sentences, or data without attribution.
Mistakes due to negligence such as miscalculations and carelessness can be corrected internally by the checking function of the parties concerned, whereas internal corrections are often not effective for fraudulent acts. For example, in the sense that wrong results or information spreads throughout society, it is not limited to individuals, but extends to a wide range of administrative, legislative, and judicial bodies, as well as information dissemination bodies.
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conflicts of interest
Conflicts of interest affect the professional judgment of researchers and engineers. Examples include:
Example 1: Deciding whether or not to publish negative research results that may affect the performance of a funded company if you do.
Example 2: When evaluating a single paper as a reviewer, it is found that the results are similar to or superior to unpublished own research results, and then the paper is published. When considering whether to accept or not.
As a countermeasure against conflicts of interest, the person providing the informationThis includes disclosing any conflicts of interest or informing relevant parties in advance. Concealing conflicts of interest is a problem, and I personally believe that by making them public, we can ensure the fairness and legitimacy of our announcements and decisions.
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The significance and ideals of science
Problems such as misconduct and conflicts of interest are not just a problem for scientists and researchers, but as it is said that we live in an era of individuals, society as a whole, which has become an environment in which anyone can transmit information, should be aware of and respond to them. It can be said that it is an issue that should be addressed. In any field or industry, without recognition and certification of originality, originality will not grow, and claims of diversity can be deceptive.
Dairy farming is supported by advanced technology, and there is a fact that the technology has been created by science. If not only dairy science researchers but also individuals involved in the dairy industry understand the significance of science and what the internationally accepted rules and foundations are and what they are like, Japanese dairy farming will reach a scientific level. will also be evaluated from this point of view.
It is said that "People are weak; and most of us are pitifully weak" (Drucker, P, 2012. Management. Routledge). This may forestall the undesirable consequences of weakness.
Below are excerpts from "On Being a Scientist" that relate to the significance and ideals of science. These descriptions will help you understand its significance and philosophy.
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The purpose of research is to extend the knowledge of mankind beyond what is currently known.
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Scientific results are "provisional" in nature, and natural phenomena cannot be concluded beyond doubt with perfect accuracy.
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Personal knowledge can become scientific knowledge only when its validity and relevance are judged independently.
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Independently accepted scientific results, subject to statistical significance, unbiased methods, and verification of method reproducibility, are the first to achieve “scientific agreement” and, as a result of increased agreement, “general knowledge.
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Science does not equate to personal experience. Science is shared knowledge based on common understanding.
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By convention, credit is given to the first publisher, not the first discoverer. But until the discovery becomes common knowledge,The burden of citing and acknowledging (crediting) the discoverer rests with those who make use of the discovery.
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No researcher is infallible and has made mistakes and mistakesIf so, it should be made public. In doing so, researchers who make mistakes are rarely criticized.
Finally, here's what "On Being a Scientist" puts in the final chapter:
“As science becomes more closely related to our daily lives, research activities themselves are changing. However, the core values upon which research work is based remain unchanged: honesty, skepticism, fairness, agreeableness and openness. Those values have helped produce unprecedented creations, and as long as those values remain strong, science and the society it serves will thrive. 』
