Science Education: Teaching Truth and Honesty
There is only one thing in science worse than incorrect results or bad conclusions, and that is not being truthful. Lying in science is taboo. It is like sneezing into an open petri dish – you just can’t do it. Indeed, you can’t even consider it. Lying is the ultimate scientific sin because to lie not only undermines a scientist’s credibility; it is an attack on the very nature of science.
It would seem like scientists have great incentives to lie about their research. The stakes in science are high, and emotions can run even higher. Passions nursed for a hypothesis through long hours at the bench, in the field, or at the computer, might make tweaking results to align with the hypothesis seem attractive. Disputes with another scientist—particularly one with whom you compete for grant money—might make a researcher want to say anything to undercut their rival. Scientists are only humans, and total commitment to one’s work and ideas and hypothesis can overwhelm even the most affable of souls.
Yet, despite all this pressure and pride, lying in scientific research is exceedingly rare. This is because people who choose science as a profession tend to do so because they love the idea of scientific thought and they know that science—not just their research, but the whole concept of rigorous inquiry—rests on one fundamental tenet: It has to be true. That is the single, most basic requirement of any scientific statement.
Subscribe to our newsletter