Race Research and the Ethics of Belief

AbstractOn most accounts, beliefs are supposed tofit the world rather thanchange it. But believing can have social consequences, since the beliefs we form underwrite our actions and impact our character. Because our beliefs affect how we live our lives and how we treat other people, it is surprising how little attention is usually given to themoral status of believing apart from itsepistemic justification. In what follows, I develop a version of the harm principle that applies to beliefs as well as actions. In doing so, I challenge the often exaggerated distinction between forming beliefs and acting on them.1 After developing this view, I consider what it might imply about controversial research the goal of which is to yield true beliefs but the outcome of which might include negative social consequences. In particular, I focus on the implications of research into biological differences between racial groups.

Source: Journal of Bioethical Inquiry - March 14, 2017 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research