A Publication of The American Physiological Society Integrating The the Life Sciences from Molecule to Organism Physiologist Volume 44, Number 4 August 2001 Scientific Professionalism: Possessors or Pursuers of Truth? Nancy L. Jones Inside Wake Forest University School of Medicine Editorial: Ethics Prescriptive Power Revisited Science and technology in the 20th century p. 152 have played a leading role in charting the course of action for society and individuals. The influ- Editorial: ence of science in the new 21st century should be Physiology and equally all-encompassing. Nearly every aspect of Functional our lives is influenced by “research.” We may Genomics: argue about how much credence the public gives A Natural Fit an individual report or study, but you can rest p. 153 assured that if the conclusions support an indi- vidual’s presuppositions or inclinations, science will be used to justify his/her behavior. 154th APS Historically, ethical systems, grown out of Business Meeting philosophical and theological disciplines, define Nancy L. Jones p. 157 what is right and wrong, good and bad, and pre- scribe how we ought to live. How then have sci- flicting principles. As such, the field of science Experimental ence and scientists been given such influence in has elements of a moral obligation theory, while Biology 2002 society as to command how we ought to live? scientists are believed to embody certain virtues. Preview The answer lies within the aim of science, the But is science able to function as an ethical system? p. 170 acquisition of knowledge of the truth. But is sci- ence an ethical system? The Activity of Science The acquisition of knowledge is gained by the Cellular and Is Science an Ethical System? inductive scientific method. First, a problem is Molecular The two basic types of ethical systems are 1) deconstructed into the most basic elements. A Physiology of moral obligation theories, systems that tell you hypothesis is formulated and tested. Data gather- Sodium-Calcium what is the right thing to do; and 2) virtue theo- ing either supports or refutes the hypothesis. Exchange ries, systems that show what kind of person you Once observations are made, facts are found and p. 219 ought to be. If science is an ethical system, it re-tested against other known principles and should define what is right and wrong and pre- principles found by multiple methodologies. The scribe how we ought to live. It should also have empirical data generated are used to derive broad Genome & universibility and mechanisms for resolving con- governing laws. Objective Truth or Law is Hormones: An revealed. Following governing laws should result Integrative in the betterment of society (3). The whole Approach to Nancy Jones presented the third annual Walter C. process is capsulated in the objective, above sub- Gender Differences Randall Lecture in Biomedical Ethics at the Experimental Biology 2001 meeting held in Orlando, jective, means of understanding the world. in Physiology FL in April 2001. The lecture is cosponsored by p. 253 Taylor University. (continued on page 151) Vol. 44, No. 4, 2001 149 Published bimonthly and distributed by The American The Physiological Society 9650 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20814-3991 Physiologist ISSN 0031-9376 John E. Hall Volume 44 Number 4 August 2001 President Gerald F. DiBona Past President Barbara A. Horwitz Contents President-Elect Martin Frank Editor and Executive Director Chapter News Scientific Professionalism Councillors Nancy L. Jones 149 Nebraska Chapter Meeting 193 Kim E. Barrett, Hannah V. Carey, Douglas C. Eaton, Joseph R. Haywood, Editorials APS Conference Steven C. Hebert, Jo Rae Wright Ethics Revisited Physiological Genomics of Ex Officio Cardiovascular Disease: From Dale J. Benos 152 Dale J. Benos, Physiology and Functional Technology to Physiology 195 Mordecai P. Blaustein, Genomics: A Natural Fit Robert G. Carroll, M. Ian Phillips 153 Public Affairs Judith A. Neubauer, Celia D. Sladek House Acts to Extend Moratorium 154th APS on USDA Rodent, Bird Publications Committee: Chairman: Business Meeting 157 Regulations 196 Dale J. Benos; Members:David H. NIH Funding Increase Alpers, Hershel Raff, Richard A. Awaits Action 197 Murphy, James A. Schafer. Director Society & Sectional of Publications: Margaret Reich. Awards 164 VA-HUD Subcommittee Marks Design and Copy Editor: Joelle R. Call for Cannon Nominations 181 Up Spending Bill 197 Grossnickle. Call for Bowditch Nominations 181 Congressman Nethercutt Subscriptions: Distributed to mem- Introduces Antiterrorism Bill 198 bers as part of their membership. Experimental Biology Stem Cell Debate Heats Up 198 Nonmembers in the USA: individuals $45.00; institutions $70.00. 2002 Preview 170 Nonmembers in Canada and Mexico: Positions Available 199 individuals $50.00; institutions Education $75.00. Nonmembers elsewhere: indi- 204 viduals $55.00; institutions $80.00. Summer Research Teachers and People & Places Single copies and back issues when Hosts Honored at EB 182 available, $15.00 each; single copies Orlando Science Teachers News From Senior and back issues of Abstracts issues Physiologists 207 when available, $25.00. Subscribers to and Students Participate in The Physiologist also receive abstracts Physiology Workshop at EB 182 of the Conferences of the American 52nd Annual International Science Book Reviews 209 Physiological Society. and Engineering Fair 183 The American Physiological Society Books Received 211 assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by Membership contributors to The Physiologist. APS Membership New Regular Members 186 Deadline for submission of material New Student Members 186 Application 213 for publication: Jan. 10, February New Affiliate Members 188 issue; March 10, April issue; May 10, Deceased Members 188 Scientific Meetings June issue; July 10, August issue; Sept. 10, October issue; Nov. 10, and Congresses 216 December issue. Section News Introducing Ken Baldwin 189 Please notify the central office as Meeting Program & Abstracts soon as possible if you change your Introducing Michael Jennings 190 Cellular and Molecular Physiology of address or telephone number. Sodium-Calcium Exchange 219 Headquarters phone: 301-530-7164. Publications Genome & Hormones: An Fax: 301-571-8305. Persson Named Editor of AJP: Integrative Approach to Gender Regulatory, Integrative and http://www.the-aps.org Differences in Physiology 253 Printed in the USA Comparative Physiology 192 150 The Physiologist Scientific Professionalism (continued from page 149) insights of science validate and give University Rankings and crystallizes the morality to acts on scientific grounds ivory tower delusion. Furthermore, the The Virtuous Scientist (5). Optimism claims the world’s salva- distanced impartial scientist is suspect The second premise is that of the vir- tion, meaning future and betterment of as well. The most successful scientists tuous scientist. Historically, a scientific the world, is inevitable as a result of sci- now are those that have adapted as professional was committed to a con- entific activity (3). entrepreneurs of intellectual activity, templative lifestyle with a self-transcen- How can the world be saved by sci- skilled at obtaining professional remu- dence into a purer state of being, whol- ence? Science evokes salvation not by neration and renown. Moreover, the sci- ly devoted to the discovery of truth. intervening directly into people’s lives, entific community itself has entered the Einstein’s “temple of science” consists but rather indirectly through the fray of politics, patient advocacy, and of a solitary lifestyle of introspection increase in knowledge of the “truth.” public policy to secure a “scientific” (3). The scientist is regarded as an This truth is of the highest quality, agenda for the future, which can be eas- impartial or distanced observer or, in because both the activity of science and ily construed as promoting the modern terms, has no conflicts of inter- the agent, the scientist, are endowed supremacy of a particular philosophy or est with the outcome or interpretation of with virtue by their objective and ideology. the data collected. rational nature. Furthermore, the truth As the scientist’s virtuosity crumbles Popularized glimpses of scientists are revealed is not dogmatically imposed upon closer scrutiny, we are not sur- people clad in white coats, usually iso- but available for rational people to use prised because, after all, scientists are lated from the buzz of humanity, and in their deliberations on how to act. human. And humans, as philosophers who only leave the laboratory to pro- Unlike philosophies and religions, this and theologians have asserted across claim their next finding. Contrast this means of uncovering truth is considered time, are either not naturally virtuous or with the second most popular image of morally neutral, because of the objec- are easily corrupted by societal evils. scientists—the mad scientist—totally tive nature of the activity and agent. But the scientific method, by design, depraved, consumed with ambition, and This type of intellectual activity is high- overcomes these obstacles inherit to concocting a means to gain ultimate ly esteemed in our secular society that human nature, does it not? So the ques- power over the world. Our world is relies on secular rationalism as the tion is whether scientists can corrupt the well-aware that knowledge is power and favored form of moral justification. It is objectivity of scientific activity.