A Study On The Perfection Of Science Ethics In China

By literature research and case study, this paper discusses the common sense and idea in the worldwide scientific community concerning the science ethics study and construction. This paper studies the modes and experiences of the USA and European countries in strengthening the science ethics construction, and analyzes current Chinese science ethics issues, the status quo and raison d'etre of Chinese science ethics construction. By referring to the advanced international experience and expertise, this paper raises the policy suggestions concerning the perfection of science ethics in China. Science ethics issues, especially the scientific misconduct, have drawn wide attentions from the scientific community at home and abroad. The international experiences in science ethics study and construction lie in: FOR the scientific integrity principles and AGAINST the scientific misconduct; DISCOVERING and MANAGING the benefit conflicts in scientific studies, and PROMOTING the science ethics construction inherently and systematically. In the USA and Europe, there are advanced scientific study and management philosophy as the directions for science ethics construction; those countries have accumulated rich experiences in defining the scientific misconduct, establishing academic restrictions, setting up monitoring mechanism, enhancing science ethics promotion, and education and training. The scientific misconduct in the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) mainly occurred in the course of scientific fund application and settlement, involving the applicant, undertaker, evaluator and organizer. Those dishonesties have caused very negative effects to the NSF. Based on the case study, this paper comes to the following perspective on current science ethics in China: in the mainstream of quality and honest scientific ethics, our scientific community is also facing serious challenge of scientific misconduct, unrestricted academic research and fickle study style, which will not merely damage our science ethics, impact the chastity of science and the reputation of science, but more importantly, will radically harm the implementation of strategy "Rejuvenating our Nation by Science and Education". In view of this, the science ethics issue has become a very important question to be studies and solved by the scientific community. The paper proves the status quo of China's science ethics construction: the science ethics construction is neglected inherently, the scientific cultural heritage and philosophy have not been rooted in the mind of every person; the regulatory science ethics construction is weak, and there is no sufficient, systematic, integral and effective regulations controlling the science ethics construction. In short, there is an unprecedented crisis in science ethics construction. The paper explains, by adapting the advanced international experience and in view of the science development in China, we should strengthen the science ethics construction from the following ways in order to establish a sound system and environment in China: a). EDUCATION: to enhance the concept and culture construction as well as the philosophy construction in the scientific community, and advocating the advanced idea, so as to form the dense atmosphere of science ethics construction; to enhance the education and training of science ethics, so as to improves the scientific ethics quality of the scientific community even the whole nation. b). PREVENTION: to improve the system of scientific evaluation and awarding; to enhance the construction of scientific policy, regulation and academic restrictions related to the science ethics; to elevate the transparency of scientific research and management; c).PUNISHMENT: to improve the monitoring and supervising mechanism of science ethics.