Further Thoughts on Citing Nazi Research
Although in class I espoused the idea of using/citing the research if it benefits mankind, I have chosen to recant my statement. Thinking about the issue at further length, I feel that to uphold the integrity of the scientific field in general we must ban the use of this research. The only cases where this research should be cited is in cases where a paper is focusing on the ethical issues at that time.
Those who underwent these horrific experiments and conditions did not provide consent for these experiments, and certainly there is no way to check with all these victims whether it is okay to cite these studies. Although one can make the argument that because these victims suffered something "good" should come out of it, I feel such an argument would almost be some sort of hollow apology and insulting to those who underwent such atrocious conditions.
I don't think that by citing these studies science is going be revolutionized dramatically, and thus by not citing such research we really are not at a big loss. Instead of focusing on attempts to cite this research, science should spend its time figuring out how to obtain such data without putting patients through life threatening situations. Such other methods may be through computer simulations, ethically approved animal studies, etc.
There is not a dearth of knowledge in science right now, and so instead of trying to cite such research studies, we should place ourselves in the bodies of the victims and empathize instead of trying to find some "good" out of such a tragedy.
Those who underwent these horrific experiments and conditions did not provide consent for these experiments, and certainly there is no way to check with all these victims whether it is okay to cite these studies. Although one can make the argument that because these victims suffered something "good" should come out of it, I feel such an argument would almost be some sort of hollow apology and insulting to those who underwent such atrocious conditions.
I don't think that by citing these studies science is going be revolutionized dramatically, and thus by not citing such research we really are not at a big loss. Instead of focusing on attempts to cite this research, science should spend its time figuring out how to obtain such data without putting patients through life threatening situations. Such other methods may be through computer simulations, ethically approved animal studies, etc.
There is not a dearth of knowledge in science right now, and so instead of trying to cite such research studies, we should place ourselves in the bodies of the victims and empathize instead of trying to find some "good" out of such a tragedy.
posted by Amit at 10:23 AM
1 Comments:
I whole heartedly agree with your new position on this topic. After doing furthing thinking, I myself think there should be an international agreement in the scientific community that research that does not meet ethical requirements where human subjects are involved should not be cited further. I feel that this is the best way to ensure that, like I said in class, scientists of less regulated countries such as those in Africa and the middle east are not tempted to use the same pattern of the Nazi scientists in hopes of securing the same kind of worldwide prestige and glory as the Nazi scientists did for the results of their corrupt science.
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