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A modest proposal for a new beginning:  a Hippocratic Oath for S&T workers

I was invited by the National Science Review (official magazine of the Chinese Academies of Sciences and of Engineering) to author the following perspective -

http://nsr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/10/27/nsr.nwv055.full.pdf?papetoc (also reproduced below) intheir latest issue. Take a look and give me some feedback. Thank you.

National Science Review Advance Access published October 27, 2015

Subjectcategory: SCIENCE POLICY Type:

Perspective:

A modest proposal for a new beginning: aHippocratic Oath for S&T workers

Yu-Chi Ho

In the last thirty some years Chinese scientific research have seen  tremendous growth along with the miraculous economic and social progresses.  As an oversea Chinese scientist I am very proud of the achievements. Rapid growths always come with some side issues that need to be addressed  along the way. The problem of scholarly misbehavior in China is well known  and the systemic causes of the problem have also been extensively discussed.  There is no need for me to repeat them here. Under President Xi’s anti-corruption effort, reducing such misbehavior is one component of the effort.  What I would like to propose is a modest step towards the solution of this  problem. The advantages of the proposal are that it is inexpensive,  can be  effective,  possibly precedentsetting, and have worldwide impact.  There is also some experimental evidencethat it may work.

In the US as well as some universities in China with which I am familiar,  all authors of Ph.D. thesis are required to sign and incorporate as an integral  part of his/her written thesis a pledge that the work is “original and not  copied from other sources . . .“. Otherwise the thesis cannot be approved.  While someone may falsely sign such a pledge, the consequence is  immediate when discovered.Knowing such a requirement also helps to prevent  misbehavior from the start.Hence I propose that the Chinese Academies of Sciences and of Engineering take lead in initiating and maintain a public National  Register for Scholar Pledges.Every scholar starting with leaders is urged to sign a pledge that from this day forward they will not engaged in scholarly misbehavior  in their work. The register can be divided via disciplines and/or institutions  publically maintain on the World Wide Web (WWW)for all to see. The advantages of such a register are numerous. Let me just mention a few of them as to why  do I believe the effort is worthwhile:

1. Since the register is public, it will serve as a deterrent against temptations for  misbehavior by signers.

2.Any misbehavior will now be the sole responsibility of the signers. This will absolve the institution from any blame/scandal and avoid the Chinese custom “not display family dirty laundry in public” which leads to cover up rather han sanctions.

3. Once started by leading scholars as signers, pressure will begin to exist  on other non-signers (After all, howcan anyone be against such  a pledge? And why didn’t you sign?)

4. It will be relatively costless for the Academies to implement such a  scheme while the benefits are many.

5. It will show the world China’s determination to stop scholarly  misbehavior and anexample for the rest of the world.

Of course, I am aware that there are obstacles and possible objections  to such a scheme.First, it has been my experience and knowledge of China that  for any task to succeed, the order must first come from the top.  Thus, I urge the CAS and CAEto take lead in initiating this if they feel the effort  will be worthwhile.Only their approval is needed. Very little effort on their part is necessary.The scientific public, I believe, will enthusiastically support it. Second, leading scientists including Academicians may consider signing such a register beneath their dignity or even insulting. This is very true. But let me just point out that the medical profession require all doctors (famous or not, including Nobel laureates) subscribe to the Hippocratic Oath on ethical behavior. If medicine practices this why shouldn’t all sciences and technology? If the S&T leaders such as the Academies of Sciences and of Engineering take lead in organizing such a register, no one should feel this is an insult. In fact,by taking  the lead to do something for China, one can feel it is an honor to do so. Signing can be viewed as an act of patriotism. You sign not because of personal benefit but as an aspiration for others. Even if an academician genuinely feels it is a sacrifice of his/her dignity to sign, just consider it as a small sacrifice in return for all the benefits the government bestowed on you as a leading scientist or academicians. Third, some people may feel this is a  trick by the government to convict them of lying for any indiscretions however small they may have committed in the past. Hence, the proposal does  not address the past and only deals with “from this day forward”.  Of course,detailed implementation of such a scheme needs to be worked out. But I leave it to Chinese researchers who are much more familiar with tradition  and customs to determine.

And for readers who agree with this proposal, you are urged to support  it by writing tothe Chinese Academies or this Journal.

 Note added 11/12 10:00am EST:

Despite the fact that I remind readers every year and inform new readers at the beginning of every one of my blogs to read  http://www.sciencenet.cn/blog/user_content.aspx?id=22498 where I explain as to why I write in English (為什么我用英文写?) I get taken to task periodically for writing my blogs in English.  While I don’t take such criticism personally, it is always a good policy for readers not to rush to judgement.  

Yu-Chi Ho School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (emeritus professor) , Harvard University, USA E-mail: ho@seas.harvard.edu

Note added 1/13/2016. A Chinese translation of the abopve article is now available at http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=1565&do=blog&id=950232