Ethical Issues in Physics

8/13/2019 Ethical Issues in Physics

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Ethical Issues in Physics:

Ethical Harassment

Caroline L. Herzenberg

Building 900/I! i"ision#rgonne $ational Laboratory

9%00 !. Cass #"e.

#rgonne& IL '0()9[Affiliation for identification purposes only. The ideas expressed here are

those of the author and do not represent the position of Argonne NationalLaboratory.]

#bstract

The concept of ethical harassment is identified and discussed. It isproposed that we search for societal mechanisms that may lead to some

progress in the curtailment of ethical harassment. It is proposed that the right

to act ethically should be regarded as a fundamental human and professional

right.

I. IntroductionEthics in science has been receiing noticeably increasing attention in

recent years. The increase in interest in scientific ethics appears to hae beencorrelated in time with decreasing funding for science. !hether there is a

causal relationship between these two phenomena is unclear. "oweer# itmay be that at some leel we as scientists are perceiing the decreased

aailability of funding for science as something that we hae somehow

brought on ourseles by $bad$ behaior# and the increased attention to

scientific ethics may be at some leel an effort to root out the supposed eil

and bring the good days bac% again. &ur increased interest in scientific ethics

may thus perhaps be regarded as in part a self'directed $blame the ictim$

response to hard times. !hateer the motiations may be# howeer# thisraised attention to ethics is a commendable enterprise on the part of scientists.It proides an opportunity to deelop further an aspect of our professional

lies that deseres further attention.

!hile discussions of ethical issues in science hae been fairly wide'

ranging# in much of the discussion of ethical issues in science# we seem to be

blaming ourseles for departures from ethical behaior. !hile this is

certainly accurate in some instances# I ta%e exception to the $mea culpa$emphasis in much of the discussion. (ost physicists and other scientists

whom I hae %nown are on the whole ery ethical people. In almost all cases#

they hae not been trying to ma%e a fast buc% by slea)y# unscrupulous#unprincipled# corrupt# or illegal actiities *(ergens# p. +,. -enerally# they


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seem to hae been trying to follow ethical principles# modulated by some

selfishness# and with considerable ac/uiescence to external constraints. It isthe external constraints that play such a large role in preenting us from

obsering ethical codes# that most interest me in this paper.

And it is in these external constraints that many current problems inscience ethics lie. Apparently# there exist two ma0or ethical problem classes1

one dealing with personal ethical behaior as a professional scientist# and the

other dealing with ethical harassment of scientists by their employers*2chwab# p. 3,. This latter ma0or ethical problem class is the one of present

interest.

Ethical harassment is a term that has been introduced to identify a type of

harassment that can happen to an indiidual when that indiidual attempts to

act in accordance with ethical principles *Elden# 445,. Ethical harassment is

what happens when another person *the harasser, attempts to coerce someone

*the harassee, into perpetrating what the harassee regards as an ethicalimpropriety. Ethical harassment is an analog of sexual harassment for asomewhat more general case. In this paper# I will concentrate on ethical

harassment occurring in research and teaching of physics and other areas of

employment of physicists.

II. Pro*essional Ethics in !cienceAll of us# as human beings# hae internali)ed informal conscious and

unconscious ethical criteria. In addition# there are more formal and explicit

religious and secular ethical standards. 6urthermore# most professionalorgani)ations hae codes of ethics which are intended to guide indiidual

decision'ma%ing.

In particular# these include codes of ethics for scientists. 2ome

organi)ations hae codes of ethics also. All of these sources lay ethical

obligations upon us. &f course# they are not all compatible# so that eery one

of us is faced with a uni/ue problem of how best to adhere to mutually

incompatible standards. This can be problematic# of course. !e can

minimi)e the impact of differing ethical standards by focusing on thosestandards that different codes of ethics agree on. Een then we are not out of

the woods# because these ethical standards need to be applied. !e can tal% agood game# but can we wal% a good game too7

Let us suppose that we can resole this incompatibility of different ethical

codes in some manner# and come up with an operatie code of ethics that we

indiidually choose to obsere.

III. +he Righto* a !cientist to #ct Ethically&nce we hae deeloped an ethical code for a profession# it would seem

that indiidual members of the profession should hae the priilege or

prerogatie of wor%ing in compliance with that ethical code. It would seemthat an indiidual should# as a fundamental human right# hae the right to act

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ethically. "oweer# all too often it seems that adhering to or conforming with

a professional code of ethics re/uires at the ery least heroism# and in somecases martyrdom *!u0e%# p. 8,. (ust physicists be heroic and put their 0obs

on the line 0ust in order to act ethically# within professional guidelines# 0ust so

as to follow and comply with our ethical codes7 It is my belief that theanswer to that /uestion should be $no$9 that heroism beyond the call of duty

should not normally be re/uired of us for simply complying with a

professional code of ethics. :rofessionals should hae a right to act ethically#and this right should also be formally codified in our professional guidelines

and ethical codes.

!hen professionals are in independent practice wor%ing for many

indiidual clients# as has been for example the case for many lawyers and

physicians in the past# although less so today# the ethics problem is mainly to

formulate codes that help define ethical practices and to deelop procedures

for educating and inducing practitioners to adhere to such principles *;ngar#p. +,. 2uch professionals# because their incomes are deried from amultiplicity of independent sources# are seldom sub0ect to ma0or economic

penalties for ethical behaior *;ngar# p. +,. s

decisions or policies9 howeer# organi)ations differ greatly in the extent towhich satisfactory resolution can be obtained internally *;ngar# p. +,. &ther

potential sources of support might be interested and sympathetic indiidualsand groups# and professional societies or actiist groups within professional

societies.

I,. Im-lementation o* an Ethical Code: #--lication o*

Ethical Princi-les in !cienceThe ethical criteria in the principles and codes of scientific ethics generally

lay most stated obligations on the indiidual scientist. Thus# fie of the sixfundamental principles of scientific research enunciated in an earlier

wor%shop *those which deal with scientific honesty# carefulness# openness#credit# and public responsibility, are obligations laid primarily on the

indiidual scientist9 while only a single one of the principles *intellectualfreedom, primarily addresses a responsibility of scientists> employers *?esni%#

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p. 4,.

"oweer# the indiidual scientist is not alone and independent of theenironment in which he or she wor%s# and the extent to which an ethical code

can be implemented also depends upon the enironment of the indiidual

scientist. @ecisions may also be affected by rules set by organi)ations ofwhich we are members or employees. Institutions may hae policies that limit

the options aailable to us. 2ome employers also hae prepared codes of

ethics for their staff# but these codes commonly lay further restrictionsprimarily on the indiidual# rather than see%ing to proide actual assistance

and support in the obseration of professional codes of ethics. !e need to

examine how to promote the indiidual>s ability to obsere a code of ethics in

an at best neutral enironment# and sometimes in a hostile enironment.

The extent to which a scientist is capable of exercising a code of ethics is

dependent not only upon the ethical intentions of the indiidual# but also upon

other factors. These include limitations and ambiguities in interpretation#external constraints and pressures. These pressures and constraints come fromexternal sources such as other indiiduals# employers# and sources of funding.

The application of these pressures to act contrary to ethical precepts is what I

am referring to as $ethical harassment$.

The application of some of these principles of ethics could lead to conflict

with your employer. To loo% at a specific example# suppose that you are a

member of the IEEE as well as the A:2. The IEEE ode of Ethics re/uiresthose obserant $... to accept responsibility in ma%ing engineering decisions

consistent with the safety# health# and welfare of the public# and to disclosepromptly factors that might endanger the public or the enironment$ *IEEE9

!u0e%,. If you simply ta%e the IEEE code of ethics seriously and attempt to

act in accordance with it# you may be in conflict with your employer. The

application of some principles of ethics could# for example# cause a physicist

to refuse to wor% on a pro0ect. To do so may cause pre0udicial retaliation by

the indiidual>s manager and organi)ation *!u0e%# p. 8,. The indiidual couldbe cited for insubordination and be dismissed# or relegated to a 0ob haing no

particular significance or potential# or be transferred to another location#which would be disruptie of the indiidual>s life *!u0e%# p. 8,. Thus# to

ino%e some ethical principles inoles an element of ris% to the indiidual>s0ob# and as a conse/uence# to the indiidual>s career *!u0e%# p. 8,.

In a physicist>s or engineer>s employment situation# when she or he finds it

necessary to dissent on either technical or ethical grounds *or bothB,# an

employee'employer conflict can usually be anticipated. !hen this conflictdoes not become resoled in a professional and fair manner# the physicist may

feel compelled to go outside and $blow the whistle$ *Elden# 445# p. ,. The

situation can escalate into a worsening conflict situation# perhaps with

harassment# discharge of the employee# or sometimes legal action.

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,. +he Issue: Harassment"arassment in the wor%place ta%es many forms. "arassment is a %ind of

locali)ed form of persecution of an indiidual. "arassment is the deliberate

creation of an oppressie wor% enironment# often on the basis of personal

characteristics unrelated to 0ob performance. !e are most familiar withsexual harassment as it has achieed the greatest media attention# but there are

other forms of harassment that are also serious. "arassment can occur on thebasis of gender *sexual harassment,# race# religion# sexual orientation# weight#

height# physical handicaps# mental handicaps# political beliefs# and asretaliation for legitimate 0ob decisions *2chlossberger# p. +D,.

Li%e many other forms of misconduct# harassment is first about power and

only secondarily about sex# race# or other factors *Fones# p. +,. It is# at its

core# a coercie# exploitatie# and improper use of power.

"arassment is unethical and in some cases illegal. *6or example# sexual

harassment is illegal if retaining your 0ob depends upon going along withsexual adances9 or if the conditions of your employment *such as pay#

promotion# or acation, depend on your going along with this behaior9 or ifthe harassment creates a hostile or offensie wor% enironment which

interferes with your ability to do your 0ob *4to3.html,.,

!e are concerned here with harassment that ta%es place in the context of

an ethical decision on the part of an indiidual# where the harassment is an

effort either to preent or to punish action based on an ethical decision. Thus#

coercion# influence# or pressure which may cause the indiidual unwillingly to

act contrary to a code of ethics to which she or he subscribes# constitutesethical harassment. If you are made to feel that your 0ob is 0eopardi)ed

because you attempt to practice your profession ethically# then you are being

sub0ected to ethical harassment. The context of ethical harassment is

differential power# dominance# intimidation# and silencing.

I hae adopted the term $ethical harassment$ for this type of harassmentbecause this term has already been introduced# and because this name is

somewhat catchy by association with sexual harassment# and accordingly maybe effectie in bringing more attention to this issue. It is important to name

phenomena. This phenomenon has gone without a generally recogni)ed

name. ;nnamed# it goes undiscussed and undebated ' its underlyingassumptions unexamined. This insidious practice of $ethical harassment$ has

existed unnamed for a long time# for too long. !e need to examine it and

curtail it.

"ow can ethical harassment be operationally identified in a perpetrator7

"ere are two criteria# based on analogous considerations for sexualharassment# which may assist in identifying a harasser *Fones# p. 3,1

G The perpetrator would not say or do these things *that are identified as

conduct of harassment, in the presence of an ethical authority or mentor# suchas for example his minister or rabbi.

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G The perpetrator would not feel comfortable haing these acts reported in the

local newspaper or news broadcast# and would ob0ect to publicity.

It should be noted that these criteria are not without exception# as in some

instances# ethical harassment is occasioned by clashes of codes of ethics rather

than being the result of unethical behaior on the part of the harasser# which is

the usual case.

,I. Ethical Harassment and its eleterious

Conseuences"arassment can interfere with wor% and create serious personal hardship

for those who are harassed# for those who witness the harassment# and undersome circumstances for the harassers. In the long run# employers may benefit

by examining and addressing ethical harassment# since it can lead not only toemployee dissatisfaction# but in some cases also the circumstances of ethical

harassment can lead to whistleblowing andHor to legal action.

,II. Eam-les o* Ethical Harassment&rgani)ations differ in the extent that they allow or sanction harassing

behaior. Also# the type of harassing behaior can depend upon context.

2ome brief particular examples of cases of ethical harassment of physicists are

included to clarify by particulari)ation and proide a further basis fordiscussion *see Appendix I,.

,III. +y-es o* Ethical Harassment!e need further analysis of the concept of ethical harassment. It may be

helpful to distinguish different forms of ethical harassment.

!e can distinguish two forms of ethical harassment1 /uid pro /uo

harassment and hostile wor% enironment harassment *a categori)ation that

we can ma%e in analogy to the corresponding categories delineated in sexualharassment and recogni)ed by the EE& and the courts, *?if%ind and "arper#

p. 88,. uid pro /uo harassment would inole a tangible 0ob benefit that is

offered in exchange for unethical behaior. An example of /uid'pro'/uoharassment would be an employee threatened with a demotion for not

complying# or promised a promotion for complying# with unethical behaior.

"ostile wor% enironment harassment ta%es place when conduct at the

wor%place has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an

indiidual>s wor% performance# or creating an intimidating# hostile# abusie oroffensie wor%ing enironment.

&ther types of categori)ation might include institutionally tolerated orencouraged ethical harassment# and casual indiidual ethical harassment. !e

need to address the former# the structural ethical harassment# which is built

into an organi)ation# as well as the latter# informal ethical harassment# whichoccurs at the instigation or pleasure of particular managers.

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As another example of categori)ation# some ethical harassment is explicit

and up'front and une/uiocal. 2ome ethical harassment is subtle and deiousand may be regarded as defined by information e/uiocality in

communication. In the latter case# the indiidual may be reluctant to claim

harassment because of fear that sheHhe may hae misunderstood the harasser>sintent.

I. 1hy is Ethical Harassment E**ecti"e2Ethical harassment wor%s because of threats explicit and implicit# and

penalties imposed upon the indiidual. External pressures are exerted to causeindiiduals to act unethically# in the serice of the organi)ation or in support

of another interest.

Ethical harassment is effectie for much the same reasons that other types

of harassment# such as sexual harassment are effectie# and harassees are

reluctant to contend the harassment *?if%ind and "arper# p. 35,. 6ear ofpossible 0ob loss or other retaliation *such as slowed promotion# elimination ofsalary increases or salary reduction# or loss of security clearance, can be a

concern of the harassee. *?etaliation can ta%e many other forms# includingerbal abuse# non'cooperation from cowor%ers# poor personal

recommendationsH references# poor 0ob ealuationsHbonus ratings# impossible

performance standards# excessie demands for unpaid oertime# demotion or

downgrading# transfer to less satisfactory wor%# worsening of wor% schedule#

and termination of employment *"ad0ifotiou# p. ++,., In some cases# there is

fear of embarrassment or humiliation# ranging from embarassment at beingperceied as stupid in not understanding the unwritten rules of the game# to

fear of not being ta%en seriously# to fear of loss of professional standing.Also# as noted aboe# there can be fear of haing misunderstood the harasser>s

intent.

. Com-arison 3ith !eual Harassment!e need to see% and put in place mechanisms to proide deterrence against

ethical harassment. It is possible that we may be able to learn to deal more

effectiely with ethical harassment by examining other forms of harassment

and how they hae been dealt with in successful cases.

2ome progress has been made against sexual harassment since it has had

its name spo%en in public# and been extensiely discussed# and a generalconsensus reached that sexual harassment is not societally desirable. A

similar approach might be ta%en to curtail ethical harassment.


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I. +a4ing #ction 5 Contesting Ethical Harassment 5

6itigati"e #--roaches and Pre"enti"e 6easuresIn iew of the fact that facing up to sexual harassment has led to what

appears to be a nation'wide decrease in this irulent actiity# there is hope that

addressing ethical harassment in a similar manner might hae positie results.In order to curtail ethical harassment# similar approaches might be ta%en to

those already ta%en with some success against sexual harassment. !e need to

name it# we need to discuss ethical harassment widely# we need to publiclydeny the acceptability in any form of ethical harassment. If we can achiee

haing it widely ac%nowledged that ethical harassment is not acceptable in theprofessional community# this may come to pass. !e might een hope

eentually to get legislation against ethical harassment introduced and passed.

In the meantime# it is time that we name ethical harassment for what it is#

arrange to get it identified and forbidden in ethical codes and personnelhandboo%s# and otherwise do what we can to deter ethical harassment. !e

should ta%e action to ma%e $ethical harassment$ become regarded as anunwelcome and formally undesirable feature of the employment scene# and

begin to ta%e whateer further action is necessary to ma%e ethical harassmant

become only an unpleasant memory# to ma%e it disappear.

&ne mechanism for deterrence against ethical harassment might be the

inclusion of statements against ethical harassment in both professional codes

of ethics and the codes of ethics of employers. Let us ma%e an effort to haethis occur# as a step in this direction.

"ere are some suggested mechanisms for curtailing ethical harassment1 G Naming it.

G Identifying ethical harassment when it occurs.

G Tal%ing about ethical harassment and condemning it.

G ?esearching ethical harassment.

G Ta%ing indiidual action when you yourself are ictimi)ed.

G "elping indiiduals ictimi)ed by harassment.

G @iscussing it formally as well as informally in professional meetings# so as

to increase professional awareness of it.

G ?e/uesting the A:2 to set up a 6orum on Ethics to address ethics issues inphysics# including ethical harassment.

G Engaging in other actiities to raise consciousness about it *meetings#

publicity# wor%place campaigns,.

G Encouraging professional 0ournals and newsletters to publish articles on

ethics and ethical harassment.

G !or%ing with professional organi)ations for help or to deelop

methodologies *for example# IEEE will be proiding an ethics hotline and asupport fund for harassees,.

G !or%ing with unions on the issue# for any physicists who may belong to

unions.G !or%ing to include statements addressing ethical harassment in professional

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codes of ethics.

G !or%ing and negotiating to get agreements to include statements forbiddingethical harassment into codes of ethics or management policies and

procedures of employers and goernment agencies.

G &nce an agreement is reached# wor%ing to ensure that a training program isimplemented for management.

G Encouraging organi)ational efforts to eliminate ethical harassment.

G !or%ing to change the law to address ethical harassment.

G Insisting on the right to act ethically as a fundamental professional and

human right.

The reader is inited to suggest other possible mechanisms for curtailing

ethical harassment.

The goal of these mechanisms is to affect the corporate and uniersity and

goernmental enironments in which we wor% to ma%e it less li%ely thatscientists and other professionals will be punished for conscientious behaior.

The hope is that the arious institutional enironments or milieu in whichphysicists wor% will become more hospitable to ethical practitioners.

II. Concluding 7emar4sThe issue of ethical harassment is one of real importance# and further research

focusing on obtaining an understanding of its causes and deeloping strategies

for reducing its occurrence in the wor%place is needed. Action is needed by

physicists to curtail ethical harassment against members of our profession.!e can ta%e a step in that direction by asserting and maintaining our right to

act ethically as a fundamental professional and human right.

Bibliogra-hy and 7e*erences

Alger# :hilip L.# N. A. hristensen# and 2terling :. &lmsted# Ethical

Problems in Engineering# Fohn !iley K 2ons# Inc.# New or%# 453.

American Association for the Adancement of 2cience#Professional EthicsReport[;?L http1HHwww.aaas.orgHsppHdsppHsfrlHperC.htm *as of Fuly 5#

445,].

[;pdated address http1HHwww.aaas.orgHsppHsfrlHperHarchies.htm as of

JH+4HD+]

American :hysical 2ociety -uidelines for :rofessional onduct *adopted by

ouncil# Noember 44, [;?L http1HHwww.aps.orgHstatement.html *as of

6ebruary 44J,].

[;pdated address http1HHwww.aps.orgHstatementsH as of JH+4HD+]

4
http://www.aaas.org/spp/dspp/sfrl/per4.htmhttp://www.aps.org/statement.htmlhttp://www.aaas.org/spp/dspp/sfrl/per4.htmhttp://www.aps.org/statement.html


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American :hysical 2ociety 2tatement on Integrity in :hysics *adopted by

ouncil# April 4J, [;?L http1HHwww.aps.orgHstatement.html *as of 6ebruary44J,].

[;pdated address http1HHwww.aps.orgHstatementsH as of JH+4HD+]

Argonne National Laboratory# ode of Ethics# :olicy MD3D [;?L

http1HHwww.anl.goH *as of Fune 445,].

Argonne National Laboratory# 2exual "arassment :olicy M+DD [;?L


Argonne National Laboratory# 2exual "arassment :rocedure M+DD [;?L



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-oernment Accountability :ro0ect>s Net 2ite on the !orld !ide !eb [;?L

http1HHwww.halcyon.comHtomcgapHwelcome.html *as of Fune 445,].

[;pdated address not aailable]

"ad0ifotiou# Nathalie# omen an! Harassment at or"# :luto :ress# London#

4J8.

"amner# =ince# $2cience Ethics


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(IT Ethics enter *as of 44J# %nown as the Ethics enter for Engineering

and 2cience,# The ?esearch Ethics 2ection [;?Lhttp1HHwww.cwru.eduHaffilHwwwethicsHresearch.html *as of 6ebruary 44J,].

[;pdated address http1HHonlineethics.orgHresethHindex.html as of JH+4HD+]

Nine to 6ie# $2exual "arassment1 !hat Eery !or%ing !oman Needs to

Qnow#$ [;?L http1HHwww.cs.ut%.eduHRbartleyHotherH4to3.html *as of

6ebruary 44J,].

[;pdated address http1HHwww.4to3.orgHas of JH+4HD+]

:ar%# ?obert L. hat's (e). [Aailable at ;?Lhttp1HHwww.aps.org *as of

6ebruary 44J,].

?esni%# @aid# $:hilosophical 6oundations of 2cientific Ethics#$ inEthical

Issues in Ph#sics$ or"shop Procee!ings# (arshall Thomsen *ed.,#!or%shop1 Fuly ' J# 448# Eastern (ichigan ;niersity# psilanti

(ichigan. Ann Arbor# (I# 44C.

?if%ind# Lawrence F. and Loretta 6. "arper# Sexual Harassment in the

or"place$ omen an! *en in +abor# QendallH"unt :ublishing ompany#

@ubu/ue Iowa# 448.

2chlossberger# Eugene# The Ethical Engineer# Temple ;niersity :ress#:hiladelphia# 448.

2chwab# Adolf F.# $Engineering Ethics in the ;.2. and -ermany#$ IEEE TheInstitute# =ol. +D# No. 5# pp. 3'5# Fune 445.

;ngar# 2tephen ".# Controlling Technolog#$ Ethics an! the ResponsibleEngineer# 2econd Edition# Fohn !iley and 2ons Inc.# New or%# 44C.

;ngar# 2tephen ".# $Engineering Ethics1 !hat>s New7$ IEEE Technolog# an!Societ# *agazine# p. C# 6all 443.

!u0e%# Foe# $(ust Engineers


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ESA(:LE2 &6 ET"IAL "A?A22(ENT &6 :"2II2T2

"ere are some dierse examples of ethical harassment for cases of

potential interest to physicists1

G ou are a physicist with a regulatory agency# and you identify someimproprieties on the part of one of the corporations sub0ect to regulation by

your agency. our management tells you to tone down your report# then

eliminates your findings and recommendations from the final report. *This

would appear to be an example of $forced changes in recommendations$9 see

e.g. Alger et al.# p. CD9 or 2cholossberger# $going easy on safety

assessments$# case +5# p. 34,.

G ou are wor%ing on a contract for a client9 you are re/uired by your

management and the contractor to omit releant data and associatedconclusions from a report so as not to embarrass the client9 you are told that

your organi)ation will lose the contract unless that is done *and# implicitly#you may possibly lose your 0ob,. *This would appear be an example of

$forced changes in recommendations#$ see e.g. Alger et al.# p. CD,.

G The corporation that employs you is about to mar%et an enironmentally

harmful product. ou oice ob0ections# and your management threatens you

with loss of your 0ob.

G The corporation that employs you has had an eniromentally harmfulaccident# and tries to hush it up. ou thin% that the accident should be

brought to the attention of regulatory authorities and become public%nowledge# but your superisor uses abusie language in referring to you and

your attitude to the situation# and suggests that promotion may occur slowly if

you should mention the occurrence publicly.

G ou hae published a paper in a field unrelated to your present employment

which has irritated a goernment agency that potentially could proidecontracts to other parts of your organi)ation. our management informs youthat all of your future publications# related to your employment or not# must

be sub0ect to management reiew prior to release for publication.

G ou hae supported a female colleague in her complaints about sexual

harassment. This year in /uestion# you receie no salary increase as aconse/uence of being categori)ed in the lowest D of employees in the

annual personnel ealuation# although there is substantial eidence that you

hae outperformed most other employees in many important respects.

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G ou are an upper'leel manager as well as a physicist9 many of your

employees are physicists. ou hae been told that your own salary willdepend on how successfully you control the total salary costs for your

employees9 thus# if you %eep down their salaries# your own salary will

increase. *This would appear to be an example of /uid pro /uo harassment# anexample of ethical harassment to put the indiidual in an ethical /uandary.,

G A scientific colleague has discoered a ma0or flaw in the siting of a planned

new accelerator facility at the institution where you wor%. 2hould thisproblem come to light# the accelerator will in all li%elihood be built

elsewhere. our colleague>s promotion is deferred indefinitely.

G An accident occurs at a foreign nuclear reactor. ou and other technical

staff are told that no comments are to be made in public by any employees#

with an implicit threat of retaliation against those who may respond to mediain/uiries.

G In a new report which has been cleared for distribution# you /uote your own

earlier unclassified publications. &ne of your earlier publications is then

retroactiely classified# and you are re/uired by security personnel to recoer

all copies of the new report that hae already been distributed.

G In presenting a seminar# you ma%e a statement interpreted as critical of a

ma0or figure in the technical establishment. our management then insists

that you are to accept no further initations to spea% at seminars# collo/uia# ortechnical meetings without the express written approal of seeral leels of

management.

G ou hae attempted to support other employees in an ethical harassment

issue# and subse/uently you receie a low employee performance rating.

!hen you in/uire why# you are told that you exhibit inade/uate eidence ofleadership ability# een though you are at the time sering as president of a

national organi)ation of scientists.

G !or%ing in an industrial setting# you are re/uired to fill out and approe timesheets. Ad0usting the records so that they no longer truthfully reflect actualtime spent is insisted on by your management# and representation from a

higher leel of management is brought in to assure that you comply.

*ompare 2chlossberger# case +8 p. C3.,

G ou are lead author of a report prepared under contract which has been

delayed in publication due to repeated sponsor reiews# which seem to be

directed toward modifying some conclusions in the report. ou then receie a

low personnel performance rating. !hen you in/uire# you are told that yourwriting s%ills are inade/uate# and your management recommends that you ta%e

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remedial writing training. This occurs during a year when you hae a number

of articles published both in national professional 0ournals and in popularscience 0ournals.

G ou and your cowor%ers are told by your management that henceforth# as a

matter of course during all field assignments# you and your colleagues will

hae to wor% extensie oertime without either oertime pay or comp time.

!hen you raise an ob0ection# your management tells you that otherwise the

consulting organi)ation that you wor% for will lose the contract because laborcosts would be too high *they obtained the contract by underbidding,.

Implicit is the threat of layoffs. *An analog for technical wor%ers of >speedupon the assembly line>.,

G As a general gesture in apparent retaliation against your efforts to abide by

professional ethical guidelines# trael funds are withheld when you are alreadycommitted to gie a professional paper at a national meeting.

G ou hae teamed up with some biologists in an experiment to examine

whether exposure to electromagnetic fields leads to excess cancer or other

aderse health effects in laboratory animals. ?epresentaties of :eople for the

Ethical Treatment of Animals hec%le you when you gie a presentation on thiswor% at a professional meeting.

G "ere>s a recent explicit example of harassment from A:2 $!hats New$1

$2E?E1 ?EA2&N 6&? LI6TIN- 2E;?IT LEA?ANE I2 A2E?ETB After he published papers cleared by Argonne National Lab and

based entirely on public information# @&E security officials lifted Alex

@e=olpi>s clearance *hat's (e)4 April 45,. They won>t tell him why

because he doesn>t hae a clearance.

Ethical Issues in Physics

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