Research Ethics: Forbidden Knowledge and the Boundaries of Academic Freedom in the Social Sciences

Väyrynen, Iiris (2022) Research Ethics: Forbidden Knowledge and the Boundaries of Academic Freedom in the Social Sciences. Bachelor thesis, Global Responsibility & Leadership (GRL).

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Abstract

This paper offers a critical analysis of the boundaries of academic freedom in the social sciences. Should knowledge ever be forbidden? Through three main claims – knowledge is accountable, knowledge is active, and knowledge is powerful – I argue that knowledge should, indeed, sometimes be forbidden. I begin with the claim that science is accountable. Science can be defined as a profession, and as such scientific inquiry and academic freedom thereof come with responsibilities. The most important of these responsibilities is to conduct research with the aim of the good of humanity. Should this aim be ignored, restrictions ought to be placed. The second argument holds that knowledge is active, which is why it is crucial to account for the structural and historical mechanisms that have shaped contemporary knowledge infrastructures. Because of personal bias and the influence of the social system in which social research is being conducted, the produced knowledge is inherently value-driven and subjective. Thus, as knowledge-production cannot be justified merely based on its ‘objectivity’, evaluating its potential restrictions ought to go beyond this qualification. Lastly, I argue that knowledge is powerful. Although scientific knowledge is appraised for its positive influence on society, its role is often downplayed for its negative ones. While society shapes knowledge, knowledge also shapes the society – which is why accounting for all its consequences is pivotal. Thus, if knowledge is accountable for positive transformations, it ought to also be held accountable for its negative ones.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor)
Name supervisor:	Roumeas, E.
Date Deposited:	09 Sep 2022 14:10
Last Modified:	09 Sep 2022 14:10
URI:	https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/126

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