The virtues of scholarship and the virtues of political action

Many bioethicists are involved in political advocacy groups as well as scholarship, and this has led to controversy. The virtues that enable scholarship to flourish are in tension with those that are vital for effective participation in political advocacy groups. This produces conflicts for bioethicists that are as serious as financial conflicts of interest. These conflicts cannot simply be eliminated, however. Scholars are citizens who have reason to engage in political action in light of their scholarly conclusions, and bioethicists who are political advocates are thoughtful persons who have reason to engage in scholarship. At best, the conflicts can be mitigated.