So Honesty Really Is the Best Policy

Ethics in science comes down to accuracy and honesty, says Janet Stemwedel over at Adventures in Ethics and Science. If people are fudging or "massaging" data, for whatever reason, then the information they present and add to the common well of knowledge is suspect. "Honesty and ethical practice matter a lot because without them the community can't build a body of reliable knowledge," blogs Stemwedel. "And if you have to spend all your time worried about people who are cheating -- and worried about the "findings" they're putting into the shared knowledge pool -- that cuts into the time you have to enjoy solving problems, discovering something new, and getting a better understanding of how things work."