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Defending the duty to research?

Iain Brassington¹

¹University of Manchester, UK. iain.brassington@manchester.ac.uk

|July 15, 2009

Summary

This paper critiques the argument that there is a duty to support scientific research. The defense of this ethical obligation is found to be insufficiently strong, raising fairness and rescue concerns.

Area of Science:

Medical Ethics
Philosophy of Science

Background:

John Harris proposed a duty to support scientific research in 2005.
Harris and Sarah Chan defended this claim against critiques in 2008.

Purpose of the Study:

To critically examine the defense of the duty to support scientific research.
To assess the robustness of the ethical arguments presented.

Main Methods:

Philosophical analysis of ethical arguments.
Examination of existing literature on the duty to support research.

Main Results:

The defense of the duty to support scientific research is not powerful.
The arguments, while improved, remain vulnerable to significant ethical challenges.

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Conclusions:

The ethical justification for a duty to support scientific research is not sufficiently established.
Further consideration of fairness, rescue, and the basis of obligations is required.