On July 17-18, 1993 a workshop was held at Eastern Michigan University's Corporate Education Center to take an interdisciplinary look at ethical issues in physics and discuss possible avenues for incorporating these issues into a physics curriculum. The workshop included six formal presentations, texts of which follow, and much lively discussion. Discussion of the ethical issues themselves revolved around questions which can be grouped in the following categories:
What are the fundamental ethical principles relevant to physics?
How are those principles applied to specific situations?
Are there documented cases in physics of significant breaches in ethics?
Are there aspects to the structure of the field which foster unethical behavior?
The first paper, by David
Resnik, introduces the underlying ethical principles in the field of
physics. Next, Marshall Thomsen discusses
current efforts to incorporate ethical issues into the physics curriculum
at Eastern Michigan University. Ullica Segerstråle
examines
issues related to data analysis and specifically on what grounds data can
be omitted from the formal presentation of final results. J.
P. Sheerin looks at conflicts of interest in peer review at the national
labs, and Ruth Howes discusses conflicts which arise
as physicists work in political and/or classified environments. Finally,
the public's perception of the field of physics is examined by Francis
Slakey. Following the text of each of the six presentations,
there is a summary of the workshop discussions and other responses to the
presentation. Finally, a list of specific questions and issues raised
has been compiled.
The editor is grateful for the
assistance of many in the organization and running of the workshop, including
Rachelle Hollander, Robert Welch, Art Hobson, Ron Westrum, Jim Sheerin,
and the staff of the Corporate Education Center at Eastern Michigan University.
Thanks are also due to those not involved directly with the workshop presentations
who have taken time to read and comment on earlier drafts of this publication:
Priscilla Auchincloss, John Thomsen, and Bonnie Wylo. Many of their
comments have been incorporated into the discussion sections. Finally,
technical assistance from Mary Jane Callison at all stages of this project
is gratefully acknowledged.
This material is based upon
work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. SBR-9223819.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in
this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
views of the National Science Foundation. The text of the workshop
talks have been prepared by the speakers themselves. The other material
has been prepared by the editor based on discussions during the workshop
and feedback from those who have read earlier drafts. While every
effort has been made to accurately reflect the facts and opinions supplied
by these contributors, the editor takes full responsibility for any inaccuracies.
WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
Sidney Gendin
Department of History and Philosophy
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Ruth Howes
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306
David Resnik
Philosophy Department
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY 82071
Richard Roth
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Ullica Segerstråle
Department of Social Science
Illinois Institute of Technology
330 Federal Street
Chicago, IL 60616
James Sheerin
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Francis Slakey
Office of Public Affairs
American Physical Society
529 14th Street NW
Suite 1050
Washington DC 20045
Marshall Thomsen
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Bonnie Wylo
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI 48197