Bioethicists often make empirical studies of how the public, or relevant groups, perceive organ donation, euthanasia, or research participation; or how they perceive research that can be considered controversial, like embryonic stem cell research. An objection to empirical bioethics sometimes made is that empirical evidence cannot settle ethical issues. Suppose a survey shows strong support […]
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“You don’t treat another human like that!” Thus we may speak, with a trembling voice that simultaneously reveals our confidence. Perhaps to a person who harasses someone else. You just don’t treat people like that! But what gives us the right to object? From where does our confidence come? Must it not be from the […]
Continue readingThe outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa in 2014 was fought with scientific, medical knowledge about the virus. But for that knowledge to be translated into practice, good communication with the people in the affected areas was needed. Joachim Allgaier and Anna Lydia Svalastog describe how communication was hampered by the fact that […]
Continue readingWe usually associate open access with the publication of scientific articles that anyone with internet access can read, without price barrier. The concept “open access” is now being used also for research data. I have written about this trend towards open data earlier on the Ethics Blog: Openness as a norm. In many cases, research […]
Continue readingHealth care receives patients from many different cultures and health care professionals are encouraged to be sensitive to patients’ cultural background. But what is a culture? What is it one should be sensitive to? Last week, CRB organized a workshop on Islamic perspectives on reproductive ethics. A case that was discussed was this: an unmarried […]
Continue readingMost of us learn about scientific developments through the media. Journalists and newspaper editors not only select what to bring to public attention but also the way the contents are conveyed. But how can we be sure that what they report is well researched? There are some new studies on how media portray synthetic biology […]
Continue readingThis is just a short follow-up to last week’s post: Thinking to the limits of language. The attentive reader may have noticed that I spoke there of two kinds of transgressions of limits of language: A tendency to make a sweeping gesture and say, “Space is everywhere; it surrounds me.” A tendency to interpret the […]
Continue readingI read last summer Immanuel Kant’s enormous work, Critique of Pure Reason. It struck me that one of the “methods” he uses could be described as: thinking to the limits of language. How is such thinking done? Like this, for example: I see a cloud in the sky and think that the cloud is up […]
Continue readingIs it possible to create a computer simulation of the human brain? Perhaps, perhaps not. But right now, a group of scientists is trying. But it is not only finding enough computer power that makes it difficult: there are some very real philosophical challenges too. Computer simulation of the brain is one of the most […]
Continue readingWhen a scientific article is retracted, it means that the article should never have been published and that data and conclusions from the study should not be used to underpin future research. Articles are often retracted when it is found that the authors acted fraudulently. They may have been careless, or cheated, or have plagiarized […]
Continue readingTHE ETHICS BLOG
A research blog from the Centre for Research Ethics & Bioethics (CRB)
We write for researchers, healthcare staff, officials, politicians, patient organisations and anyone interested in ethics.
We comment on the research ethics and bioethics debate and discuss our own research. We address issues from current debates in the research community and in the press.
MEET THE EDITOR
Pär Segerdahl is editor of the Ethics Blog and Associate Professor of Philosophy at the Centre for Research Ethics & Bioethics.