Ethics in Science
by Dr Mark Hocknull
29/10/2025
Would you still publish your first ever scientific paper, even if you noticed a small error in the data? This was the initial question posed by Dr Mark Hocknull in his seminar on “Ethics in Science” on 29/10/25. Months or even years of work can go into conducting research and writing a paper, so starting over again would be painful - is it the right thing to do?
Jan Schon was guilty of one of the biggest cases of scientific fraud [1], he repeatedly used the same data in different papers and was found to be fabricating his results. Jan Shon became famous during his PhD studies which also posed questions about his supervisor’s engagement in his work.
Dr Hocknull then dived deeper into the aspects of ethics and consequence in the scientific community. Fraudulent papers can result in a variety of consequences including wasting public funds; breaking trust; and derailing careers of young scientists. It also questioned the quality and integrity of peer reviews.
Edward Jenner’s infamous deed of injecting cowpox into a young boy with no parental consent [2] as he believed he wouldn’t contract smallpox can be justified by some theories of ethics:
| Kantian | Utilitarian | Virtue | | Focuses on the duties, actions, and conforming to the moral law | Focuses on the outcome. Balances benefits and costs of our actions. | Focuses on personal values and actions rather than the situation. |
Utilitarianism says Edward did the right thing, as his theory proved correct and went on to save lives. Other ethics suggest it’s the wrong thing to do, as the deed came to a good end by improper means. These theories can also be applied to history such as nazi medical research on twins and rocket research.
Dr Hocknull rounded off the seminar with a powerful reminder: It is now a responsibility for scientists to consider the effects of their work on society. The World Economic Forum Code of Ethics for Researchers [3] say there are 6 values scientists must adhere to: Honesty, Objectivity, Tolerance, Doubt of Certitude, Unselfish Engagement, and Accountability. These values are a backbone of trust between science and society; the initial question had now changed: Would you still lie in your paper if it meant more publicity?
[1] Wikipedia Contributors (2020). Schon scandal. [online] Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sch%C3%B6n_scandal.
[2] BBC Bitesize (2024). Case study - Edward Jenner and vaccination - Medicine in 18th- and 19th-century Britain, c.1700-c.1900 - Edexcel - GCSE History Revision - Edexcel. [online] BBC Bitesize. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zxbqjsg/revision/6.
[3] widgets.weforum.org. (n.d.). https://widgets.weforum.org/coe/index.html#code. [online] Available at: https://widgets.weforum.org/coe/index.html#code.
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overall presentation 3/3 date title and name was correct
Accurate Reporting 3/3 i would say captured the message
Conceptualisation 2/3 could go into what affects these virtues would have on society
Additional finding 1/3 all references were in the lecture no outside corroborating sources
style 3/3 can be understood by a lay person
very well written and engaging some minor improvements could be implemented shown above if being picky