This blog post examines the ethical issues that can arise when scientific research becomes subordinate to capitalism and the importance of moral responsibility that follows.
Part 4 of Yuval Noah Harari’s book ‘Sapiens’, titled “The Scientific Revolution,” covers the scientific revolution in modern society. A particularly fascinating aspect of this book is the fact that scientific research is closely intertwined not only with the research itself but also with power and resources. This connects to the tenets of capitalism.
The idea that scientific research is combined with power, resources, and capitalism is one of the most crucial points in this book. For example, there is the case of Britain prioritizing nuclear research over aquatic plant research, which led to victory in war and financial gain. While this may have brought economic and social benefits to the nation, it inflicted physical and psychological damage on individuals due to the war. It is undeniable that scientific research has achieved tremendous progress, but whether its impact is solely positive is questionable. Therefore, a skeptical perspective is needed: ‘Is it really natural for scientific research to be controlled by capital as it is today?’ Ultimately, this leads to the conclusion that scientific research incorporating ethical elements is necessary.
Alongside the advancement of biotechnology, bioethical issues are constantly raised. In the film ‘The Island,’ Lincoln 6-Echo (Ewan McGregor) and Jordan 2-Delta (Scarlett Johansson) live under control in a utopia. They hope to reach the ‘Island,’ Earth’s last unpolluted land of hope, but discover they are clones and that the ‘Island’ is actually a place to harvest organs and body parts for sponsors. While this cloning system brings enormous financial profit to sponsors, can it truly be considered ethically unproblematic? If the ultimate goal of scientific research is money, it could lead to the horrific consequence that you too could become a clone. Scientific research conducted solely for profit can inflict immense harm on someone. This is precisely why moral considerations are crucial in scientific research.
Furthermore, this book warns of the problems that arise when scientific research is conducted solely for specific gains. Here, I propose a new topic for discussion. “If you were a scientist who discovered research findings that could bring scientific progress but also harm humanity, would you disclose them?” This question can spark a discussion about the morality of scientists. I debated this topic in high school; at the time, we concluded that the findings should be published, but only decades later, when democratic procedures had advanced further and moral considerations could be properly weighed. This may sound idealistic, but I believe it is essential behavior in modern society. Few would dispute that money is a crucial element in scientific research, but it must not become the ultimate goal. Only scientific research combined with moral considerations can truly advance humanity’s future.
The well-known story of Marie Curie is similar to this issue. She discovered radioactivity and won the Nobel Prize in Physics, yet radioactivity evolved into weapons threatening human peace. Had scientific research during that era prioritized moral considerations, nuclear weapons might never have been developed. Even if developed, laws to control them would likely have emerged alongside. Scientific research must be considered alongside moral elements.
Many people say the ultimate goal of scientific research inevitably becomes money. However, if the goal of scientific research is money, the resulting risks could fall back on oneself or one’s descendants. To prevent this, scientific research combined with a moral perspective is necessary. Some research may begin solely for profit, yet occasionally yield outcomes beneficial to humanity. However, instances of negative impacts far outweigh such examples. Therefore, a moral framework capable of controlling research risks is essential.
In conclusion, we must acknowledge that scientific research realistically cannot avoid being conducted for someone’s benefit and that it must be done to secure capital. However, morality must be integrated throughout the process. Students at Seoul National University will engage in research and contribute to societal development through scientific discoveries. Yet, they must consider moral safeguards within the scientific discovery process. While profit is undeniably a crucial factor in a capitalist society, human moral conscience must be upheld. The author hopes students will grow into members who can maintain their moral conscience even within a society where capitalist doctrine takes precedence.
