Ethics inside and outside the physics lab

Authors

• Marshall Thomsen, Eastern Michigan University

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2019

Department/School

Physics and Astronomy

Publication Title

Handbook of Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity

Abstract

Most ethical issues that arise in the field of physics can also be found in other disciplines, yet by comparison to other fields such as the life sciences, much less has been written about ethical issues in physics. There are, however, a handful of well-documented and well-explored cases in physics that highlight important ethical issues. By exploring these cases, we can understand key issues that routinely confront physicists, albeit in much less dramatic ways than illustrated by these better known cases. This chapter will explore the Ninov and Schön cases, the N Ray affair, the “cold fusion” phenomenon, the role of physicists in weapons research, and underrepresented groups in physics. The impact of these events on professional codes within the physics community will be discussed.

Comments

M. Thomsen is a faculty member in EMU's Department of Physics and Astronomy

Recommended Citation

Thomsen, M. (2019). Ethics inside and outside the physics lab. In R. Iphofen (Ed.), Handbook of research ethics and scientific integrity (pp. 1–18). Springer International. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76040-7_60-1