Matthew Brown (University of Texas, Dallas)
I defend a new approach to values in science, the ideal of moral imagination, and show how it coordinates norms for science at the level of individuals, collectives, and social interactions. According to this ideal, scientists should recognize contingencies in their research, creatively explore options for settling them, empathetically understand potential stakeholders, and recognize the relevant values; on this basis they should make decisions that integrate social/ethical and epistemic considerations. I will sketch the way this ideal plays out in individual and collective decision-making in science and in the interactions of science with its social context.
