Science and ethics in Popper

the ethics of scientists responsibility

Abstract

The present paper aims to analyze the relationship between science and ethics in Popper, more precisely, the nature of that ethics that is at the base of his theory of science. Our intention is to show that their conception of science is founded and an ethics of responsibility, which presupposes the autonomy of scientists, their freedom of choice, which makes them responsible for their decisions by certain research “standards”. We will show that this ethics of responsibility is already present in its research logic, in a less explicit way, when his concerns are focused on the problem of scientific demarcation and his proposal for a criterion of scientificity and a methodology for science. The adoption of such a proposal requires scientists to make a decision that involves goals and values. In writings, in which he expresses his concerns about ethical issues inherent in science, this ethics of responsibility is clearly presented when defining certain commitments for scientists based on the Hippocratic oath, as well as the ethical principles that should guide their research.