Higher moral standards for scientist

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spuriousmonkey

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I noticed lately that people here on this forum expect higher moral standards for scientists. I wonder if it is the same n real life?

Because I am a PhD student I am not supposed to tell anyone to 'fuck off'. Because I should know better?

There seems to be a general perception that scientists should be reasonable and nice people. Is there a reason for this? Is the pursuit of 'truth' only possible by higher moral beings? Does a high intelligence and good education mean that you are of high moral calibre?

What is your opinion on this matter and the sub questions asked before?
 
This is a good question. On the one hand, people expect PhD's to be educated and sound because of their long schooling. On the other hand, why should a PhD be held to higher standards just because he's a PhD?

I don't think that scientists are reasonable and nice people, and I don't think I've ever percieved them that way. I've always thought of them as statisticians and logical folks who are a bit dry for the most part. But I think that people expect you to have a greater understanding of ethical concepts due to the fact that you would have had to take several different kinds of ethics classes along the way to recieving your PhD. That's a good assumption in fact that you have, but that doesn't mean that you will be of good moral caliber either. I know a lot of highly-intelligent people with varying degrees and diplomas who have very little to no morals.

But I'm me, and I don't judge anyone based on how many or what letters follow their name.
 
I think its a misconception that you must be smarter/better than everyone else to get a PhD, you simply have to work harder than everyone else and only require average intelligence, on that basis that they are mostly like your average person then its not unreasonable for them to swear, and they may not hold higher morals than others, those things are very much different on an individual basis, level of education is irrelevent.
 
Formal education has no bearing on one's conscience and therefore scientists are at no such (dis)advantage.
 
I think the main point and simple reality of the situation is being obscured here.

A person with a PhD is a specialist in one aprticular area of study. Naturally, they should be quite adept at discussing that subject, in what I'm sure would be quite dense terms to reflect their deeper understanding of the subject.

However, as humans, we are more than the sum of our specialization in one area of study. A PhD does not impose an arbitrary ban on certain behaviours, unless one is a fool.
 
Whose so braindead as to expect Phd students not to tell people to fuck off? Intelligence is not correlated with politeness or ability to tolerate fools gladly, as far as I know.
besides, I am not even convinced that Phd's are more than slightly linked to intelligence, given that one of the worst employees at a place i worked last year had a Phd.
 
You should be able to say whatever you'd like to people.

You should also check your forums regularly. It's too quiet.
 
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