Ethics

Ethics is a set of moral obligations that define right and wrong in our practises and decisions. Many professions have a formalised system of ethical practises that help guide professionals in the field. For example, doctors commonly take the Hippocratic Oath, which, among other things, states that doctors "do no harm" to their patients. Engineers follow an ethical guide that states that they "hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public." Within these professions, as well as within science, the principles become so ingrained that practitioners rarely have to think about adhering to the ethic it's part of the way they practice. And a breach of ethics is considered very serious, punishable at least within the profession (by revocation of a licence, for example) and sometimes by the law as well. Scientific ethics calls for honesty and integrity in all stages of scientific practice, from reporting results to properly attributing collaborators. This system of ethics guides the practice of science, from data collection to publication and beyond.