Nancy A. Stanlick, Ph.D., UCF Summer Research Academy, June 2007, (c) 2007 1 Academic Ethics and Research Ethics: Society, Subject, and Self Dr. Nancy

Nancy A. Stanlick, Ph.D., UCF SuNancy A. Stanlick, Ph.D., UCF Summer Research Academy, June 2mmer Research Academy, June 2007, (c) 2007007, (c) 2007

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Academic EthicsAcademic Ethicsand and

Research Ethics:Research Ethics:Society, Subject, and SelfSociety, Subject, and Self

Dr. Nancy A. StanlickDr. Nancy A. Stanlick

Department of Department of PhilosophyPhilosophy

[email protected]@mail.ucf.edu


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PART ONEPART ONE

TheThe

CheatingCheating

CultureCulture


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The “Cheating Culture”The “Cheating Culture”• How does contemporary society How does contemporary society

exemplify a culture of cheating?exemplify a culture of cheating?

Pet food recall

Baseball

Journalism

Business

And the list goes on….


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Poisoning Medicines and Cheating the System

From The New York Times: “From China to Panama: A Trail of Poisoned Medicine,” May 5, 2007

“Mr. Wang spent years as a tailor in … manufacturing … in eastern China. But he did not want to remain a common craftsman… He set his sights on trading chemicals….

‘He didn’t know what he was doing,’ Mr. Wang’s older brother … said in an interview. ‘He didn’t understand chemicals.’

But he did understand how to cheat the system.

(He) realized he could earn extra money by substituting cheaper, industrial grade syrup – not approved for human consumption -- for pharmaceutical grade syrup. To trick pharmaceutical buyers, he forged his licenses and laboratory analysis reports, records show.

Mr. Wang later told investigators that he figured no harm would come from the substitution, because he initially tested a small quantity. He did it with the expertise of a former tailor.” (He tasted it.)

(Later, Mr. Wang discovered a cheaper substitute that would increase his profit – diethylene glycol, an ingredient in antifreeze. And other people died.)


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Cheating the System and Killing Cats and Dogs –

and Pigs and Chickens. And Who or What Else??

Image: www.zeenews.com

Adapted From The New York Times, “Filler in Animal Feed is Open Secret in China,” 4/30/ 2007

In Zhangqui, China, a chemical made from coal is “routinely added to animal feed as a fake protein.” According to the story, animal feed producers have “for years” “secretly supplemented their feed with … melamine, a cheap additive that looks like protein in tests, even though it does not provide any nutritional benefits…”

“…Ji Denghui, general manager of the Fujian Sanming Dinghui Chemical Company, which sells melamine” said “I don’t know if there’s a regulation on it. Probably not. No law or regulation says ‘don’t do it,’ so everyone’s doing it. The laws in China are like that, aren’t they? If there’s no accident, there won’t be any regulation.”

“The link to China has set off concerns among critics of the (FDA) that ingredients in pet food as well as human food, which are increasingly coming from abroad, are not being adequately screened.”

“The Chinese news media – which is strictly censored – has not reported much about the country’s ties to the pet food recall in the (U.S.). And few in agriculture here do not see any harm in using melamine in small does; they simply see it as cheating a little on protein, not harming animals or pets.”


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Clip from Shattered GlassClip from Shattered Glass

Picture from IMDB.com, from Shattered Glass, © 2003.

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Disrespecting & cheating self and others


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Some altered quotations from the film:

“All I know is I did the research, from lots of books and Web sites.”

“I just wasn’t careful about writing down which one came from which source.”

(Walking near the restaurant in the film):

“I really don’t like the way you are treating me, Professor Smith… I didn’t do anything wrong. You saw my notes, everything was in there. I just don’t remember the sources I used.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong, Professor Smith.”

Professor: “I really wish you would stop saying that. Anyone can make a mistake.”

“This is not right. I feel really attacked. You are my professor. You are supposed to support me.”

Video From Shattered Glass, © 2003 Lions Gate Films, appr 2 min, 20 sec. clip; one-time educational use.

Does this sound familiar?


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Enron: A Failure of EthicsEnron: A Failure of Ethics

Big Egos, No Content

Image Source: www.smh.com.au


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PART TWOPART TWO

Uses and Abuses ofUses and Abuses of

Theories, Facts, Theories, Facts, Rules, and Rules, and PrinciplesPrinciples


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The Uses and Abuses

of

Theories, Facts, Rules, and Principles

10 Cs


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Major Ethical TheoriesMajor Ethical Theories

TheoryTheory PrinciplePrinciple RuleRule

Explanation, Explanation, ConceptualConceptual

Reason, GeneralReason, General CommanCommand, d, SpecificSpecific

UtilitarianismUtilitarianism

DeontologyDeontology

VirtueVirtue

ContractarianisContractarianismm

UtilityUtility

Duty, RespectDuty, Respect

C, C, & CC, C, & C

Natural Natural Law/AgreementLaw/Agreement


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Facts/Is Vs. OughtFacts/Is Vs. Ought

• We are often compared to other We are often compared to other animals in their wild habitats, either to animals in their wild habitats, either to show that we are, or are not, like show that we are, or are not, like them. Which of these is done them. Which of these is done depends on the purpose of the person depends on the purpose of the person or group trying to make a point.or group trying to make a point.

• But ethics isn’t about what is, it is But ethics isn’t about what is, it is about what ought to be.about what ought to be.


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Some other kinds of animals Some other kinds of animals also cheat and deceivealso cheat and deceive

• Carl Zimmer writes of the bird shrikes thatCarl Zimmer writes of the bird shrikes that– ““..regularly use alarm calls to warn one ..regularly use alarm calls to warn one

another of predators. But sometimes the birds another of predators. But sometimes the birds will use false alarm calls to scare other will use false alarm calls to scare other shrikes away from food.” shrikes away from food.”

– Hence, the deceptive shrike has a more Hence, the deceptive shrike has a more successful nest as well as a better chance for successful nest as well as a better chance for survival than the shrikes that are tricked by survival than the shrikes that are tricked by the call.the call.

• Zimmer also writes of the crustacean Zimmer also writes of the crustacean stomatopod. stomatopod.

– The males make burrows and try to attract The males make burrows and try to attract mates. Their burrows are threatened by other mates. Their burrows are threatened by other males and they can either move or keep their males and they can either move or keep their ground. During molting, stomatopods ground. During molting, stomatopods sometimes bluff and threaten intruders by sometimes bluff and threaten intruders by showing their large appendages although showing their large appendages although their bodies are very vulnerable at the time. their bodies are very vulnerable at the time.

– Thus, the deceptive male saves energy by Thus, the deceptive male saves energy by keeping his already-made burrow. keeping his already-made burrow. This PowerPoint page courtesy of Christine Techavanich, from PHI

3670 (Ethical Theory), Summer C Term, 2007. Used by permission.


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PART THREEPART THREE

AcademicAcademic

EthicsEthics


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What Do You Think??What Do You Think??• What are the most prevalent problems of What are the most prevalent problems of

which you are aware with respect to which you are aware with respect to ethics in an academic setting?ethics in an academic setting?

• Among some of them, consider the cases Among some of them, consider the cases on the Academic Ethics/Academic on the Academic Ethics/Academic Integrity QuestionnaireIntegrity Questionnaire

ACADEMIC ETHICS


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Cheating and PlagiarismCheating and Plagiarism

• Cheating and plagiarism are different Cheating and plagiarism are different things.things.

• Further, it is not always easy to deal Further, it is not always easy to deal with the dynamics of cases and this with the dynamics of cases and this affects decisions, consequences, and affects decisions, consequences, and evaluations.evaluations.

• Consider the following video:Consider the following video:


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Video from YouTubeVideo from YouTube

• See the clip from the soap, See the clip from the soap, All My All My Children at Children at http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irBj1-dulcUv=irBj1-dulcU

• If these were UCF students, would If these were UCF students, would they be guilty of academic they be guilty of academic dishonesty? What should be done?dishonesty? What should be done?


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UCF’s Academic Ethics UCF’s Academic Ethics StandardsStandards

• The UCF CreedThe UCF Creed– Do you know what it is?Do you know what it is?– http://www.admissions.sdes.ucf.edu/http://www.admissions.sdes.ucf.edu/

about.asp?FirstSub=creed about.asp?FirstSub=creed

• The UCF Golden RuleThe UCF Golden Rule– Have you seen it before?Have you seen it before?– http://www.goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/http://www.goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/

2e_Rules.html 2e_Rules.html


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PART FOURPART FOUR

ResearchResearchEthicsEthicsandandIRBIRB


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• What is the relationship of research What is the relationship of research ethics to academic ethics, more ethics to academic ethics, more broadly construed?broadly construed?

• What are YOUR responsibilities in the What are YOUR responsibilities in the realm of academic, scientific, and realm of academic, scientific, and professional research involving professional research involving human subjects?human subjects?

• Why are research ethics important?Why are research ethics important?

Research Ethics


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Three Historical Examples of Three Historical Examples of Questionable Research Questionable Research

PracticesPractices• The Milgram Experiment and Obedience to The Milgram Experiment and Obedience to

Authority -- See Authority -- See http://video.google.com/videoplay?http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6110809571753386112&q=Milgram+Experiment&total=22&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=sedocid=6110809571753386112&q=Milgram+Experiment&total=22&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1 arch&plindex=1

• Nazi Doctors – Grisly “medical” experiments Nazi Doctors – Grisly “medical” experiments on concentration camp prisonerson concentration camp prisoners

• The Tuskeegee Experiment – lying to The Tuskeegee Experiment – lying to African American men about treatment for African American men about treatment for syphilis. They were not treated, and the syphilis. They were not treated, and the experiment was not stopped even AFTER experiment was not stopped even AFTER effective treatment had been developed effective treatment had been developed and they could have received proper care.and they could have received proper care.


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IRB – Institutional Review IRB – Institutional Review BoardBoard

• Principles Guiding Appropriate Principles Guiding Appropriate ResearchResearch– Respect for PersonsRespect for Persons– BeneficenceBeneficence– JusticeJustice

• Do you remember the moral Do you remember the moral theories? They are embedded in the theories? They are embedded in the derivation of these principles.derivation of these principles.


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Summary of Importance of IRBSummary of Importance of IRB

• Risks to subjects are minimized [Beneficence]Risks to subjects are minimized [Beneficence]• Risks are reasonable in relation to anticipated benefits Risks are reasonable in relation to anticipated benefits

[Beneficence][Beneficence]• Selection of subjects is equitable [Justice] . Selection of subjects is equitable [Justice] . • Informed consent is sought from each subject [Respect for Informed consent is sought from each subject [Respect for

Persons]. Persons]. • Informed consent is appropriately documented [Respect for Informed consent is appropriately documented [Respect for

Persons] . Persons] . • And when appropriate:And when appropriate:• Data collection is monitored to ensure subject safety Data collection is monitored to ensure subject safety

[Beneficence] . [Beneficence] . • Privacy and confidentiality of subjects is protected [Respect Privacy and confidentiality of subjects is protected [Respect

for Persons & Beneficence] . for Persons & Beneficence] . • Additional safeguards are included for vulnerable populations Additional safeguards are included for vulnerable populations

[Respect for Persons].[Respect for Persons].•

• Source: “History and Ethical Principles” from Source: “History and Ethical Principles” from http://www.citiprogram.org http://www.citiprogram.org


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And FinallyAnd Finally

• The questionnaire you filled out on The questionnaire you filled out on your perceptions of academic your perceptions of academic ethics/academic integrity….ethics/academic integrity….

• Does it need IRB approval? Why?Does it need IRB approval? Why?

• What do you think I will do with it? What do you think I will do with it? Why?Why?

Documents

Nancy A. Stanlick, Ph.D., UCF Summer Research Academy, June 2007, (c) 2007 1 Academic Ethics and Research Ethics: Society, Subject, and Self Dr. Nancy