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    reflection essay

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    Jonathan Garzo
    reflection essay

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    Reflection Essay on Ethics in Scientific Research Module 3

    There exists a modern proverb popularized by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, creators of the
    Spiderman comic, that states “With great power comes great responsibility.” The quote
    referenced is perhaps the most appropriate considering the subject of this reflection essay, ethics
    and morality in doing scientific research. Consequently, as a result of the pursuit of answers in
    such a polarizing topic, questions involving moral dilemmas will inevitably arise. Central to all
    these questions is the following: “Does the end justify the means?”
    That most of human society takes the majority of science and technology they encounter
    every day for granted, is in my mind a fair assessment to make. People often overlook the origins
    of these incredible inventions and discoveries. In some cases they are a result of inhumane
    human experimentations, innovative technologies born out of war times, and scientific data
    gathered using unethical methods with the objective of reinforcing oppressive state propagandas.
    Some of the technological innovations and scientific discoveries that fall under the
    aforementioned categories are the following: the Internet, which has its roots from the United
    States military innovations during the Cold War. Spaceships, also developed during the Cold
    War, enables the launching of satellites which houses integral technologies of the modern period
    (i.e Global Positioning System or GPS). Nevertheless, the most infamous of these are the Nazi
    Germany’s human experiments during World War II. During this dark period of scientific history
    scientists came to have a deeper understanding of certain phenomena such as the effects of
    hypothermia and high altitude pressures on the human body, among others. Similarly, it was
    under the Nazis that a breakthrough to solving the Typhus disease was discovered.
    Dr. Ludwik Fleck is a Jewish-Polish immunologist that was captured by Nazi Germany
    and was subjected to work in the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp. With his expertise
    and leadership he, along with other captured scientists, were able to create a vaccine for Typhus
    disease that was ravaging Germany at that time. Nonetheless, despite the seemingly hopeless
    situation Dr. Fleck and his team of scientists defied their oppressors in their own unique way.
    They provided the Nazi army with “Typhus vaccines” which in reality were nothing more than
    harmless vials of liquid with no vaccine property at all. On the contrary, Dr. Fleck distributed
    small quantities of the actual vaccine to his fellow inmates in the Auschwitz concentration camp.
    The story of Dr. Ludwik Fleck is a testament to the triumph of humanity in the face of
    extreme, morbid, and seemingly hopeless adversity. Moreover, it is a reminder that we cannot
    change history. We can only learn from it. We cannot undo the past. However, we certainly
    should not ignore it, and we should never forget it. That the unethical and inhumane experiments
    of the past produced knowledge that we have and will continue to benefit from is a reality we
    should accept considering we cannot abandon the use of such knowledge to claim moral high
    ground. Their existence is a testament to how far, for the most part, the scientific community has
    come. As I have said, we cannot change the past, we can only learn from them. It is a reminder to
    scientists that in doing experiments they should consider the well-being of their patients and not
    treat human life as mere lab rats, expendable and replaceable. Furthermore, Dr. Fleck's story is a
    reminder to scientists in dictatorial regimes that even in the most extreme working environments
    and conditions there is always a room for human compassion, morality, and reason.

    Reference:

    Sophie Nick (2015). NHD 2015 Documentary: The Buchenwald Typhus Vaccines: Leadership
    and Legacy of Dr. Ludwik Fleck. [Video] YouTube. Retrieved from:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z87WgtD8YUw

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