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The Normative Orientations of Climate Scientists
Dennis Bray1, Hans von Storch2
1Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthact, Institute for Coastal Research, 21502, Geesthacht, Germany. dennis.bray@hzg.de.
Science and Engineering Ethics
|November 9, 2014
Summary
Climate scientists
Area of Science:
- Climate science
- Sociology of science
Background:
- Robert K. Merton defined the normative structure of science in 1942.
- The four norms are Communism, Universalism, Disinterestedness, and Organized Skepticism (CUDOS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore climate scientists' adherence to Merton's CUDOS norms.
- To investigate the current state of scientific norms in climate research.
Main Methods:
- An online survey of climate scientists was conducted.
- The survey assessed scientists' subscription to the CUDOS norms.
Main Results:
- Climate scientists' conduct deviates from Merton's CUDOS norms.
- Observed deviations include withholding results, maintaining property rights, external research influence, and status-based significance assignment.
Conclusions:
- Merton's CUDOS norms serve as guiding principles but are not fully practiced.
- Contemporary practices in climate science show a departure from the idealized scientific ethos.
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