Ethical currents in a career in science and technology: A case study

Ethical principles are at the heart of the scientific and technological enterprise. That may not always seem to be the case. Doubts become especially emotional when there are deep disagreements as to how much weight should be given to conflicting ethical principles. But in the conduct of their research and in their assessment of applications, scientists and engineers demonstrate a clearly ethical course. Stimulated by reconsidering C. P. Snow's “Two Cultures” lecture given in 1959, this paper draws upon my professional experiences to provide examples of ethical issues emerging in industry, government, a research university, an academy of science, and in science and technology policy.