The responsibility of the scientist

The fulminant development of science and the technical innovations that it has spawned have had a profound impact on our day-to-day lives. Information and communication technology, molecular biology, physics, engineering and chemistry have all markedly changed the lives of most humans during the past century. Scientific research is crucial for creating the knowledge base for this progress, which puts scientists in a particular, and sometimes difficult, position. On the one hand, society elevates scientists to the level of ‘super experts’, who are expected by the public to provide expertise and knowledge to solve societal problems. On the other hand, many people remain cautious and even fearful of the technological and medical progress enabled by scientific research. We, the society, assign scientists a high degree of responsibility ‘for our lives’ and we expect them to dedicate themselves to the benefit of humanity. Do scientists really have a greater responsibility to contribute to society than, say, politicians, judges or journalists, or any other of us? And if so, can we define this responsibility? To address this question, it might help to look at historical examples of how certain scientists acted in extreme situations, and whether they showed an awareness of or commitment to a special responsibility.