Klymenko, O.

Інституційний репозитарій erNAU (Electronic Repository of the National Aviation University)

XV Міжнародна наукова конференція «Політ. Сучасні проблеми науки», 8-9 квітня 2015 року  394  UDC 001.8:179.7 (043.2) Gorobtsov I. National Aviation University, Kyiv  ETHICAL ASPECTS OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH  At all times it has been obvious that science, despite its primary goal, is the mover of the human progress and development. But not once the mankind has faced the catastrophic and sad consequences and in its history there are numerous examples. So this is the place where the concept of «moral responsibility of a scientist» (MRS) comes. It is the problem of ethics, sociology and philosophy, which involves: a) culture of relations in a scientific team; b) estimation of scientific activity in terms of benefit/harm to humanity. Great contributions to the investigation of this problem were made by such foreign scientists as K. Popper, L. Mikeshina, V. Styopin. Among the other scientists there may be distinguished such ones as R. Merton and E. Agazzi. The first one developed four imperatives, which, by his consideration, should form a scientific Ethos. The imperatives are: communism, universalism, disinterestedness and organized skepticism. E. Agazzi worked on moral measurement of science (practical and «pure») and stated that estimation objectives, means, conditions and consequences of researches should be taken into consideration. He also dealt with the problem of influence of science on ethics and tried to give the precise description of problems of science moral regulation and offered ways of that regulation. The famous Ukrainian theorists who investigated the problem were: V. Vernadsky (who laid the foundations of ecological ethics), V. Lukianets (who described possible ways of evolution of moral views and evaluation) and V. Olkhovsky.  According to recent studies, opinions of modern scientists on the problem of MRS split into two camps. The proponents of «pure» science believe that science itself has no responsibility for the way of usage of its discoveries and inventions (Teller, Cohen). Other scientists (Einstein, Born, Schweitzer) were well aware of the moral responsibility for their discovery and for the opportunity to use them to harm people, but they saw no real means to remedy the situation, and their thoughts on this subject were quite pessimistic. There is also the third group of people who believe in absoluteness of a human mind and in the solution of the MRS problem in future. As for the solution of the problem at present – it is not yet possible because of several factors: inability to predict all results of researches, a time gap between a discovery and its usage etc.  However, some certain measures can be accepted: UN international laws, international protocols, different organizations. In Ukraine and Poland independently there were developed the projects, which can make notable difference in solution of the MRS problem. The main terms of this projects include: usage of science only for benefit of humanity; support of international character of science; striving for maximal objectivity in scientific papers and opposition to distortion scientific knowledge; showing and considering every aspect of scientific knowledge and others. It may make sense to consider these projects at the state level as a supplement to the law on science in order to protect it from some unexpected results. Unfortunately, at this stage of human development the scientists' self-awareness (and governments that will undertake the regulation of moral aspects of science) is the only thing we can rely on. Scientific supervisor: Ishchuk S., Ph. D., assoc. Prof. Актуальні проблеми сучасного філософського знання  395  UDC 130:316.42 (043.2)  Klymenko O. National Aviation University, Kyiv  GIGA’S RING: PROBLEM OF FOUNDATION OF THE MORAL ACTION  In Plato’s «Republic» one finds the story of a Lydian shepherd Gig having found a magic gold ring making its bearer invisible. Being invisible Gig doesn’t hesitate to kill the king, marry to the Queen and take the Kingdom. Plato makes a fundamental conclusion of the story: man acts morally exclusively under the pressure of the fear of being punished by the law. Plato’s story deals with the ethical analysis of a moral action, its structure consisting of three elements: themotive, the result and its conditions. In the history of ethics, one distinguishes consequentialist and deontological concepts exaggerating either an objective (result) or subjective (motive) element of a moral action. In opposition to themthere isthe ethics of virtue revived in the XX c.making one to talk of the "aretaicturn” focused on man’s character enabling him to be morally consistent throughout different circumstance of the life. The character (as a sphere of virtues)is viewed to be a set of certain internal states, feelings, qualities needed to be manifested in actions. Purely earthly dimension of the nature of morality is a significant feature of aretaic approach. The need for morality is the aspiration of an imperfect but striving for perfection man living in the world of a constant change.  There are three interdependent aspects of the nature of virtue. Firstly, virtue is a quality of a person, being formedin various social practices. Secondly,virtue is a quality on which a person is able to build his entire life as a serialnarrative, the unity and integrity of which is specified by the search for a high purpose (telos).Thirdly, virtue is defined through tradition playing a role of the context of moral practices.Appealing to the virtue in unity of its dimensions historical, cultural and social background shouldn’t be neglected.  Proponents of deontological and consequentialist approaches represent objections to the ethics of virtues concerned the absence of clear criteria for correct behavior and the neglect of other concepts on the basis of their moral insignificance. In response to criticism supporters of the virtue ethics state that it tells how to deal with uncertain, conflicting or exceptional situations by forming the image of a moral personality. At the same time they don’t want to accept the thesis that virtue is largely the result of a happy combination of circumstances but not entirely the sphere of human control. As for the second objection it could be recognizedlegitimate. Despite the lacks of the virtue ethics with its individualized and arbitrary understanding of morality it is worth praising under modern conditions giving a man countless possibilities to challenge traditional style of living. In the world of fundamental interdependence of people being invisible with the aid of communication technologies aretaic approach could be a response to the situation where principles and rules, formulated in deontological and utilitarian theories are helpless. Scientific superviser: Abysova M., Ph. D., assoc. Prof.  

GIGA’S RING: PROBLEM OF FOUNDATION OF THE MORAL ACTION

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GIGA’S RING: PROBLEM OF FOUNDATION OF THE MORAL ACTION

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