Ethics belongs to everyone

This morning we had a unique opportunity to talk about research ethics and the guided dialogue approach. In a morning seminar Arto and I introduced our concepts around ethical sensitivity, ethical decision-making, and the need for continuous ethical dialogue within the research community. What followed was a brilliant example of how academics engage with research ethics from their disciplines and positions at the university with Chancellor Thomas Wilhelmsson, Dean Hanna Snellman, and Academy professor Anu Wartiovaara. Continue reading

Ethics of scientific facts

After the victory of Donald Trump in the American presidential elections, the discussion about the role scientific knowledge in society has intensified. Researchers have been worried whether, in the post-factual era, alternative truths compensate and overcome scientific facts. Recently, academic people all over the word organised demonstrations in order to emphasize the crucial role of research in building well-being and development of the world.

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New European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity

ALLEA has released a new Code of Conduct for Research Integrity March this year. This replaces the original Code of Conduct from 2011. So what is new and why the new code?

The first difference between the codes is its length – the new code is remarkably more succinct and brief. While the old code had its great advantage of spelling out principles and reasons for the code, the new version is more accessible and readable. And because ethical questions can rarely be resolved by rules, there is no need to attempt writing a code that would answer all questions! Continue reading

A New Approach to Research Ethics

New approach to research ethics

Ethics is often understood as a set of rules which have to be followed. In the Image result for a new approach to research ethicsrecent book New approach to research ethics (Routledge, 2017), we present an alternative view on ethics. Official guidelines and rules create the foundation for research ethics but, for several reasons, they are not a sufficient tool for creating ethical awareness within a research community. Lists of types of unethical behaviour can never cover all the problematic questions researches face in their work and there is a vast grey area of everyday cases, which cannot be solving by a simple black-and-white or right-and-wrong approach. A new approach is necessary. Continue reading