The importance of values for science

Abstract

This essay examines the important roles for values in science, from deciding which research projects are worth pursuing, to shaping good methodological approaches (including ethical concerns), to assessing the sufficiency of evidence for scientific claims. I highlight the necessity of social and ethical value judgements in science, particularly for producing properly responsible research. I then examine the implications of the need for values to inform scientific practice for public trust in science. I argue that values serve as a key basis for public trust in scientists, along with the presence of expertise and engagement in a well-functioning expert community, and that scientists should thus be more open about the values informing their work. This result holds whether the science at issue is a matter of consensus or still contested within the scientific community.