Science with an Ethical Face

Abstract

In Science and Ethics, Bernard Rollin argues that ethics and values are relevant to science, that scientists have ignored these because of their “ideology,” that science is value-free, concluding that science should abandon this ideology. Value-free science rests on the fact-value distinction, defended by several philosophers. But scientists do make value judgments, something which should fall outside of science. This is reinforced by the naturalism of science. All of this leads to the question: How is it possible for ethics to find a place in science?