Category Archives: Ethics

JC’s conscience

Quotations that serve as a conscience of a profession. – Tom Nelson

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Industry funding: witch hunts

by Judith Curry

There is a remarkable and disturbing story playing out in the biotechnology academic community over industry  funding related to genetically modified food.

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Industry funding and bias

by Judith Curry

When should research come with a ‘warning’ label?

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Mark Steyn’s new book on Michael Mann

by Judith Curry

A Disgrace to the Profession: The World’s Scientists – in their own words – on Michael E Mann, his Hockey Stick and their Damage to Science – Volume One

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The adversarial method versus Feynman integrity

by Judith Curry

If you think about the costs I’ll pay for raising these concerns, including the cost of damaged relationships with people that I like, I think you will conclude that a personal commitment to science is the only thing that could be big enough to offset these costs. – Paul Romer

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The beyond-two-degree inferno

by Judith Curry

The time for debate has ended. – Marcia McNutt, editor of Science

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Science: in the doghouse(?)

by Judith Curry

One of the most sensitive issues in science today: the idea that something has gone fundamentally wrong with one of our greatest human creations. – Richard Horton

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Scientific integrity versus ideologically-fueled research

by Judith Curry

The main intellectual fault in all these cases is failing to be responsive to genuine empirical concerns, because doing so would make one’s political point weaker or undermine a cherished ideological perspective. – Heather Douglas

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What can we do about climate change?

by Judith Curry

Do we have the resources (from, say, economics or ethics) to answer these sorts of questions?

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Ethics of climate expertise

by Judith Curry

If deference to the authoritative opinions of experts is essential to our rationality and knowledge, and if that deference unavoidably rests on trust, not only in the competence, but also in the epistemic and ethical characters of our experts–then it is high time that we get to work on the ethics of expertise. Indeed, it is past time. – John Hardwig

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Pope Francis, climate change, and morality

by Judith Curry

The Pontifical Academy of Science meeting on climate change is raising some interesting issues for Catholics and for humanity.

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Conflicts of interest in climate science

by Judith Curry

Once you tug on the thread of undisclosed financial interests in climate science, you’ll find it more a norm than exception. – Roger Pielke Jr (tweet)

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Charlie: Challenging free speech

by Judith Curry

In response to the tragic shootings at the headquarters of satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris, there have been a number of provocative essays on freedom of speech.

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Ethics and climate change policy

by Judith Curry

Every aspect of climate change is shaped by ethical dispute: from scientific practice to lobbying and activism and eventually, at national and international levels, the setting and implementation of climate policy. – Peter Lee

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Ethics of communicating scientific uncertainty

by Judith Curry

Last month I attended a Workshop on The Ethics of Communicating Scientific Uncertainty:  Understanding How Scientists, Environmental Lawyers, and Journalists Treat Uncertainty.

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Steyn versus Mann: norms of behavior

by Judith Curry

Mark Steyn’s latest blog post, and the ensuing tweets, prompts some reflections on norms of behavior for scientists versus political commentators.

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How to criticize with kindness

by Judith Curry

“Just how charitable are you supposed to be when criticizing the views of an opponent?” – Daniel Dennett

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Fraudulent(?) hockey stick

by Judith Curry

Some new angles in Mann vs Steyn et al.

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Partisanship and silencing science

by Judith Curry

 The implications of dogmatic groupthink and intimidation for the pursuit of sound science — and sound policy — are chilling. – Christopher Snowden

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Mann vs Steyn et al. discussion thread

by Judith Curry

Some interesting developments during the past week.

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A precautionary tale: more sorry than safe(?)

by Judith Curry

The unfortunate reality is that efforts to regulate one risk can create other, often more dangerous risks. – Jonathan Adler

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Towards a pragmatic ethics of climate change

by Judith Curry

The global climate change debate has gone badly wrong. Many mainstream environmentalists are arguing for the wrong actions and for the wrong reasons, and so long as they continue to do so they put all our futures in jeopardy. – Thomas Wells

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Are climate scientists being forced to toe the line?

by Judith Curry

Climate researchers are now engaged in a debate about whether their science is being crippled by a compulsion to conform. They wonder if pressure to reach a consensus is too great. They ask if criticism is being suppressed. No less is at stake than the credibility of research evidence for climate change and the very question of whether climate research is still reliable. – Spiegel

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Climate scientists joining advocacy groups

by Judith Curry

Along with Richard Lindzen joining the Cato Institute, Bengtsson now gives us two examples of ‘skeptical’ scientists becoming associated with political advocacy groups, and zero examples of mainstream climate scientists joining political organizations. Who is it that’s politicizing science? – Dana Nuccitelli

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Reflections on Bengtsson and the GWPF

by Judith Curry

. . . some scientists are mixing up their role with that of a climate activist.Lennart Bengtsson

Professor Bengtsson’s persecution shows precisely why independent think-tanks such as the Global Warming Policy Foundation are essential. Truly, the old joke is becoming ever more true: what’s the opposite of diversity? University.Matt Ridley

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