Medical involvement with torture is prohibited by law and the fundamental tenets of the medical professional, and yet sometimes it is the right thing for doctors to do, argue two bioethicists in a controversial new paper published in the Hastings Center Report. The new paper is timely, in light of strong evidence – appearing last […]
Tag Archives | ethics
DNA tests create incest dilemma
The use of DNA microarrays to diagnose developmental disabilities and congenital anomalies in children can also unexpectedly identify that some of those children have been conceived through incest, creating social and legal issues that are now challenging the scientific community. To understand the ramifications of these chance discoveries, medical researchers from the Baylor College of […]
Robots taught to deceive
Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed algorithms that allow a robot to determine whether it should deceive a human or other intelligent machine and which techniques to use for the best deceptive strategy. The new work, published in the International Journal of Social Robotics, is believed to be the first detailed examination […]
Cleanliness next to goodliness
Experiments involving fairness and generosity showed that people in rooms which had been freshly scented with a cleaning product exhibited a dramatic improvement in ethical behavior. The findings could have significant implications for workplaces and retail environments, notes study leader Katie Liljenquist (pictured), from Brigham Young University. The study, appearing in Psychological Science, monitored participants […]