Episode 12: Virtutes Vocationalis

Nullius in Verba

In today's episode, we discuss vocational virtues⸺scientific principles that should guide the behavior of scientists. We discuss whether we agree with values put forth by numerous scientists, including Ivan Pavlov, Peter Medawar, Santiago Ramón y Cajal, Barry Schwartz, among others, and share our own.

Correction: At 56:24, Smriti mentions the book This is Biology, which is written by Ernst Mayr, not E.O. Wilson.

Shownotes

• Pavlov, I. (1936). Bequest of Pavlov to the Academic Youth of His Country. Science, 83(2155), 369–370. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.83.2155.369
• Schwartz, B. (2022). Science, scholarship, and intellectual virtues: A guide to what higher education should be like. Journal of Moral Education, 51(1), 61-72.
• Robert T. Pennock: An Instinct for Truth: Curiosity and the Moral Character of Science
• Merton, R. K. (1942). A Note on Science and Democracy. Journal of Legal and Political Sociology, 1, 115–126.
• Schwartz, B. (1990). The creation and destruction of value. American Psychologist, 45(1), 7.
• Paul Medawar: Advice to a Young Scientist
• Ernst Mayr. This is Biology
• Santiago Ramón y Cajal: Advice for a Young Investigator
• Bernal, J. D. (1939). The Social Function Of Science. Routledge.
• Weber, M. (1917/1958). Science as a Vocation. Daedalus, 87(1), 111–134.
• E.O. Wilson: Letters to a Young Scientist