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Memes in the Watson category “/science/social science/philosophy/ethics”

41–46 of 46

Royal Society's Code of Ethics

The proposed code Rigour, honesty and integrity · act with skill and care in all scientific work. Maintain up-to-date skills and assist their development in others ·· take steps to prevent corrupt practices and professional misconduct. Declare conflicts of interest · be alert to the ways in which research derives from…

Contradictory Aphorism and Biblical Texts

What realm of human endeavour is not morally ambiguous? Even folk institutions that purport to give us advice on behaviour and ethics seem fraught with contradictions. Consider aphorisms - haste makes waste; yes, but a stitch in time saves nine. Better safe than sorry; but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Where…

Scientific Ignorance is Dangerous

I don't know to what extent ignorance of science and mathematics contributed to the decline of ancient Athens, but I know that the consequences of scientific illiteracy are far more dangerous in our time than in any that has come before. It's perilous and foolhardy for the average citizen to remain ignorant about…

Spinoza's Reasoning was Childish

There's a tendency to pomposity in all this, to make it all deep and profound. My son is taking a course in philosophy, and last night we were looking at something by Spinoza--and there was teh most childish reasoning! There were all these Attributes, and Substances, all this meaningless chewing around, and we started…

The Tyranny of the Written Word

Nevertheless, almost everybody speaks better than he writes. (This also applies to authors.) Writing is a highly formalized technique which, in purely physiological terms, demands a peculiarly rigid bodily posture. To this there corresponds the high degree of social specialization that it demands. Professional writers…