Most of what occurs in
the practice of science goes on behind closed doors, beyond the prying
eye of the public. Nevertheless science and the scientists who conduct
its research seem to enjoy an almost religious-like reverence, having
been granted a virtual hands-off policy by the public at large to
advance and mold the future.
Against this backdrop however, science is increasingly accused of fraud in the pursuit of useful research findings, applications and profits. Scientists like the rest of us try to cut corners, get their papers published, have their ideas for research funded, compete with co-professionals, and vie for glory. It is alleged by many that science fraud is commonplace in a society driven by money and ambition. To be sure science is not a career for the faint of heart. On the contrary science is an aggressive, ruthless business.
Practitioners and institutions of science are accused of going beyond mere ambition in the eternal quest for knowledge. Our researchers pressured by the need to produce are venturing beyond the boundaries of honest science into the forbidden territory of science fraud.
Despite this revered social standing, scientists are now more than ever motivated toward the falsification of research in pursuit of hefty corporate grants or public recognition. The scientific process has changed greatly over the years. For the scientist the pressure of obtaining funding, which often is tied to professional advancement, is coming both internally from the employer and externally from the grant giving bodies.
Modern science is a large-scale enterprise heavily funded and highly directed. Its dominant players are large corporations and the US government, both of whom have definite stakes in the outcome of any given research. In the mainstream media of today, tales of science fraud abound.
Further complicating these financial challenges, season-scientists find themselves competing for finite funds in a glutted field, going up against much younger comparatively inexperienced practitioners. This competition for grants, status, position and money makes the temptation to veer away from the straight and narrow almost irresistible. With such outrageous amounts of money at stake, grand percipients are subjected to such massive scrutiny by their papers that the possibility for failure can barely be entertained.
It should come as no surprise there that many scientific researchers are becoming less concerned about whether data is contaminated and more concerned about what can be done with contaminated data.
Competition is enormous, competition for grants, status, position and money. It can be accurately be said then, that the scientists' very livelihood depends on appealing .... to obtain grants. Without grants scientists cannot conduct research, without research scientists cannot publish papers, without publishing papers scientists cannot achieve recognition ...... If scientists fail to maintain the highest level of publishing, they not only risk losing their funding but their status in the university as well. Furthermore, loss of grants directly threatens earnings ....
Science fraud is not a new problem. In fact some of the biggest names in history had pulled off some of the biggest scams. It is widely known in the scientific community Isaac Newton, "father of modern physics," intentionally skewed data to make the work of a rival appear less important.
Despite the consequences, the lure of short-term gain in research is undeniable and becomes 'science fraud.' By definition scientific fraud is a deliberate act of a scientist or a group of scientists to knowingly pass false, faulty or misleading data to peers or the public. Examples of fraud include forged or fabricated data, falsified results, plagiarism, piracy, bogus articles, personal rivalry and other pre-meditated acts intended to mislead or deceive.
Taken from: Top Documentary - (Don't miss this 30-minute video, it's too hugely informative to miss!)
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/science-fraud/
If you liked this, you may also want to read: "Cosmologists: Their long history of Spiritual antagonism"
Against this backdrop however, science is increasingly accused of fraud in the pursuit of useful research findings, applications and profits. Scientists like the rest of us try to cut corners, get their papers published, have their ideas for research funded, compete with co-professionals, and vie for glory. It is alleged by many that science fraud is commonplace in a society driven by money and ambition. To be sure science is not a career for the faint of heart. On the contrary science is an aggressive, ruthless business.
Practitioners and institutions of science are accused of going beyond mere ambition in the eternal quest for knowledge. Our researchers pressured by the need to produce are venturing beyond the boundaries of honest science into the forbidden territory of science fraud.
Despite this revered social standing, scientists are now more than ever motivated toward the falsification of research in pursuit of hefty corporate grants or public recognition. The scientific process has changed greatly over the years. For the scientist the pressure of obtaining funding, which often is tied to professional advancement, is coming both internally from the employer and externally from the grant giving bodies.
Modern science is a large-scale enterprise heavily funded and highly directed. Its dominant players are large corporations and the US government, both of whom have definite stakes in the outcome of any given research. In the mainstream media of today, tales of science fraud abound.
Further complicating these financial challenges, season-scientists find themselves competing for finite funds in a glutted field, going up against much younger comparatively inexperienced practitioners. This competition for grants, status, position and money makes the temptation to veer away from the straight and narrow almost irresistible. With such outrageous amounts of money at stake, grand percipients are subjected to such massive scrutiny by their papers that the possibility for failure can barely be entertained.
It should come as no surprise there that many scientific researchers are becoming less concerned about whether data is contaminated and more concerned about what can be done with contaminated data.
Competition is enormous, competition for grants, status, position and money. It can be accurately be said then, that the scientists' very livelihood depends on appealing .... to obtain grants. Without grants scientists cannot conduct research, without research scientists cannot publish papers, without publishing papers scientists cannot achieve recognition ...... If scientists fail to maintain the highest level of publishing, they not only risk losing their funding but their status in the university as well. Furthermore, loss of grants directly threatens earnings ....
Science fraud is not a new problem. In fact some of the biggest names in history had pulled off some of the biggest scams. It is widely known in the scientific community Isaac Newton, "father of modern physics," intentionally skewed data to make the work of a rival appear less important.
Despite the consequences, the lure of short-term gain in research is undeniable and becomes 'science fraud.' By definition scientific fraud is a deliberate act of a scientist or a group of scientists to knowingly pass false, faulty or misleading data to peers or the public. Examples of fraud include forged or fabricated data, falsified results, plagiarism, piracy, bogus articles, personal rivalry and other pre-meditated acts intended to mislead or deceive.
Taken from: Top Documentary - (Don't miss this 30-minute video, it's too hugely informative to miss!)
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/science-fraud/
If you liked this, you may also want to read: "Cosmologists: Their long history of Spiritual antagonism"
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