[Genet(h)ics: the philosophical concept of the discourse ethics and consequences for the research community]

The research community is increasingly confronted with the problem of ethic responsibility. Ethic reflection might be integrated as a part of one's own research projects. This question is discussed against the background of Jürgen Habermas' discourse ethics, which considers the diverse state of being in the modern age as the basis. In this situation, the process of understanding ("Verständigungsprozess") the norms assumed to be valid receives extraordinary significance, since this process of understanding itself inheres authorizing function for the norms. Taking this philosophicial approach seriously, researchers have the specific responsibility not to perform the ethical judgement based on facts alone. Since researchers might be predestined to envisage the ethical implication of their own research at an early stage, they have the possibility to activate the process of understanding about relevant ethical norms themselves as early as possible.