Logic, methodology and philosophy of science VIII proceedings of the eighth international congress of logic, methodology and philosophy of science, and philosophy of science proceedings) ( PDFDrive ) 79

60 E AGAZZI However, this fact still leaves open the problem of which agency should be entitled to dictate these norms, and of the way of controlling their application Following the logic of our discourse, our opinion is that these norms should express the necessity of a systems-theoretic harmonization of different values', and hence be the result of a multilateral assumption of responsibility: the responsibility of the scientific community towards other values that are present in society, and the responsibility of other social agencies (economic, political, religious, etc.) towards the rights of science This appeal to responsibility, moreover, is the most appropriate to express the genuine character of any ethical attitude, since responsibility implies at the same time freedom and obligation, but an obligation which is not equivalent to compulsion or imposition To reach this stage of responsibility, a process of maturation, education and participation is needed, which implies that scientists should become more sensitive to the existence and significance of more universal human values, by participating in the discussions concerning them and deepening their understanding of their nature and the conditions for their fulfilment This also means that moralists, theologians and politicians should also become more sensitive and better acquainted with the real issues involved in the practice of scientific research It follows from this that a pure and simple self-regulation of the scientific community might not be sufficient, and that some legal regulation, expressing the result of the said mutual collaboration and understanding, would be appropriate On the other hand a reasonable flexibility should characterize this regulation, except for a few very specific and exactly described cases of particular gravity The respect of the norms concerning these specific cases should be controlled through the usual means adopted by any public authority for controlling the implementation of laws, while the more flexible norms should be subject to the mechanisms that are usually prescribed by the deontological codes of the different professions The impact of science on ethics What we have said concerning the cooperative spirit which should inspire the establishment of ethical and legal regulations of science does 'See AGAZZI,E., 1987, A System-Theoretic Approach to the Problem of the Responsibiliry of Science, Z allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie XVIII (1-2), pp 30-49