An Ethics Crisis in 2020 – Here Is To A Better 2021

Given the esteem and trust we grant scientists and innovators, how could this happen? How could research fraud, falsified data, and unproven conclusions result in 1,800 papers in leading journals and peer review articles being retracted in 2020? And this is not an anomaly. [1] Two decades ago, jour

Phil McKinney

2 Jan 2021 — 1 min read

Given the esteem and trust we grant scientists and innovators, how could this happen?

How could research fraud, falsified data, and unproven conclusions result in 1,800 papers in leading journals and peer review articles being retracted in 2020? And this is not an anomaly. [1]

Two decades ago, journals were retracting roughly 40 papers per year. Journals now retract about 1,500 articles annually — a nearly 40-fold increase over 2000, and a dramatic change even if you account for the roughly doubling or tripling of papers published per year.

The public depends on our work to better society, Everything from vaccines to information privacy and security of our personal information. If society can’t trust us to be ethical with today's work, how will they trust us with emerging disruptive innovations such as AI (artificial intelligence) and quantum computing/networking?

What can be done? [2]

Publicly share the research so that others can validate the results. Do not trust work unless multiple researchers can replicate the results.
Be skeptical. Research is not immutable. If it sounds too good to be true, or too obvious as to the expected result, we should validate the work before jumping on the bandwagon.
Restructure research incentives such as “publish or perish”. The drive to achieve incentives can push researchers and innovators to stretch beyond what is ethical.
Be willing to speak up when confronted with unethical research and innovations.

2020 was not a good year for ethical research.

For 2021, let’s each of us strive to do better.

Sources/Resources:

[1] – “A Look Back At Retraction News in 2020 – and Ahead to 2021“. Retraction Watch, December 31, 2020,

[2] – “Science Fictions – How Fraud, Bias, Negligence, and Hype Undermine The Search For Truth”, by Stuart Ritchie, July 21, 2020

Blog Culture Leadership Quote Resources culture ethical innovation ethics falsified research research trust trustworthy unethical innovation

Phil McKinney Twitter

Phil McKinney is an innovator, podcaster, author, and speaker. He is the retired CTO of HP. Phil's book, Beyond The Obvious, shares his expertise and lessons learned on innovation and creativity.

Comments

The Morality of Knowledge: Playing God or Responsible Innovator?

Despite centuries of progress, humanity's pursuit of knowledge has often overlooked one crucial element: morality. Shockingly, some of history's greatest innovations, like nuclear energy and certain chemical compounds, were developed with little regard for their devastating potential.

17 Jun 2023

Paid Members Public

Ethics: The Missing Link to a Better Society

Ethics are essential to any functioning society, but unfortunately, many people have become too accepting of unethical behavior. Greed, jealousy, and selfishness can lead to unethical decisions, and the media has a history of glamorizing those who break the rules.

An image of the word ethics with people around the table.

3 Jun 2023

Paid Members Public

Leadership: Build the Culture You Deserve

Creating a strong company culture is essential for success. Without proactive effort, organizations risk creating an 'accidental culture' of distrust, poor communication, lack of accountability, and low morale. Leaders get the culture they deserve based on their actions.