Hypocritical oath

Politics | Stem-cell debate isn’t about science | Russell Board

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As President Obama lifted restrictions on federal funding of stem-cell research March 9, he defended "letting scientists do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it's inconvenient." Obama contrasts his approach with that of his predecessor, who many say allowed ideology to outweigh science in government decisions. But Obama is wrong, in three ways.

First of all, the government has a responsibility to monitor and regulate the activities of scientists, who are not infallible, and like all of us, can be driven by motives of greed or ambition to cross lines that shouldn't be crossed. Laissez-faire science is even more dangerous than laissez-faire business. If you doubt it, remember the Nazi scientists. It is the responsibility of government to address issues of morality, which impinge upon science as upon all human behavior.