Ethics in Science and Engineering

The pursuit of science and engineering requires freedom of thought and, in the academic sense, unrestricted communication. It is through the professionalism of the members of the scientific and engineering disciplines that world knowledge and technology advances. Yet there are continuous reports of unethical behavior in the form of data manipulation, cheating, and plagiarism at the highest levels of the disciplines. The causes are manifold whether it is the need to advance in one of the chosen disciplines or to compete successful for and obtain research funding.

This book gives an account of the various scientific and engineering disciplines and examines the potential for unethical behavior by professionals. Documented examples are presented to show where the matter could have been halted before it became an unethical issue. The authors also look to the future to see what is in store for professionals in the scientific and engineering disciplines and how the potential for unethical behavior can be negated.