Ethics In Knowledge And Ethics

“Morality may consist solely in the courage of making a choice.” This quote by Leon Blum conveys what ethical judgment is. It is making a choice about what is wrong and what is right and the choice that has been made affects further activities. If the choice that the activity is right was chosen, then that activity would be continued, but if the choice that the activity is wrong were chosen, then the activity would not be able to continue hence, there would be no further production of knowledge. It’s humans who decides and makes a choice as science and art are just a tool. But as there are no scientific methods in the world to decide what is right and wrong due to the absence of universal ethical code, what I consider to be ethical might not be ethical to another person. So, the process of how people perceive situations or their belief about what is ethical and unethical it determines the emotions and hence the actions are finally taken. But, to what extent should humans consider ethics while carrying out experiments? This knowledge issue raised by the question would help explore the knowledge issue in the areas of knowledge: Natural Science and Art.

To generate knowledge in science experiments need to be conducted. But, first it is important to know what is knowledge. Knowledge is anything that is backed up by evidence and to support it first experiments need to be conducted as a proof. To derive knowledge about the syphilis disease, the medical experiment named Tuskegee Syphilis experiment was conducted. Using reasoning as a way of knowing, doctors would seem that it is logical for them to use black men as laboratory equipment, as the causes and symptoms of Syphilis can be known. It is actually beneficial to know about Syphili...

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...the situation is extremely miserable? No, there would be no time to think about ethics. For example, a nine-year-old girl named Kim Phuc ran nude from her village after the Napalm attack. The photographer was in a dilemma on whether to click the picture of the girls and continue with his career or go and help her as all her body, skin and clothes were burnt. Not only the photographer, it was the same situation with the editor too. As there is subject of ethics behind the editor needed to sacrifice girl’s privacy in order to publish the photograph in the newspaper. However, the ethical judgments did not limit the photograph of this Vietnam War being publicized as the photograph was taken and it has been published in the newspaper. Indeed, this photograph was the most inspiring one and by acting as evidence, it changed the view of people living in the USA against war.