Scientific Conduct and Misconduct: What Is Right and Proper, What Is Not, and What Is Somewhere in the Middle

Abstract

As young children, our parents generally tried to instill in us a sense of what is right and what is wrong. Stealing a toy from a store is wrong, but buying it with money is right; driving through a red light is wrong, but driving through a green is fine; and spreading slanderous lies about some in your class is wrong, but keeping your mouth closed, even though you don’t like them, is right. In most things in life, we understand these limitations and most of us try to abide by them. We don’t always get it right—we are only human after all—but we can usually stay out of trouble without too much difficulty.