Is Scientific Research Value Neutral?: An Article Summary

Excerpts from the Paper

Is Scientific Research Value Neutral?: An Article Summary
Introduction
In his 1993 article in Environmental Ethics entitled, “Is Scientific Research Value Neutral?”, Leslie Stevenson provides an informative analysis of this important issue and offers convincing arguments that neither science nor scientific research are value-free. Stevenson’s main contention is that scientific research cannot be value neutral because it requires funding, which is provided by certain sources which plan to apply the findings of the research in order to benefit in some way. He points out that this funding process and the relationships inherent in it directly involve scientists in social interactions which provide certain social groups with knowledge and...

.....f this issue and presents convincing arguments that scientific research is not value neutral.
This assertion is supported by multiple examples which demonstrate the impact of funding on scientific research. Ultimately, because of the acceptance of funding from certain sources and the agreement of scientists to make their findings available to these sources, they are directly involved in social processes which provide valuable knowledge and power to particular social groups rather than to others, and cannot claim with any credibility that value judgments are not involved.
Source
Stevenson, Leslie. “Is Scientific Research Value Neutral?” In Environmental Ethics. Susan J. Armstrong and Richard G. Botzler (eds). New York: McGraw-Hill, 1993.