Here's the abstract of the talk:
We would like to invite you to discuss scientific practice and ethical challenges with us. We will introduce the topic with a brief presentation covering the following fundamental and basic questions: What is science? What kinds of values are there in science? What is ethics, and ethics in science in particular? We will also give a short overview of the topics that ethics in science is concerned with beyond good scientific practice.
After that, we will have ample time for discussion. What is your view on ethics in science? What constitutes good research? What kinds of responsibilities do we bear as researchers?
We are especially interested in discussing researchers’ underlying values that are rarely taken up, that go unnoticed in the business-as-usual of the academic world. In the rush for more challenging, more innovative, more ground-breaking scientific discoveries, do we ever pause to wonder: (Why) do we need to know everything? And are there things that should not be studied? For example, some people think research on climate engineering, deep sea mining or research for military purposes should not be conducted. And similarly: When we speak about animal testing or embryonic stem cell research, this raises the question how we conduct our research and where we draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable means.
You are invited to share your own beliefs and experiences, as well as questions or doubts that you may have encountered in your work. We are looking forward to an exciting, active discussion!
Denise and Joanna