<Author>Michael</Author>
<Topic>Honest-- the Most Valuable Quality of a Scientist</Topic>
<Source></Source>
<Nationality>USA</Nationality>
The scientist has the opportunity to advance human knowledge in a very special way. His or her discoveries may open new vistas for humans, for the development of society, and for the protection of nature. Whether one studies biology, biochemistry, chemistry, mathematics, physics, or medicine; or any other science, his or her role is always a very important one. Sometimes, this role is so important that it provides life and death answers. Because I don't know enough about the sciences, I want to know that I can trust scientists so that I don't have to worry that they may seek to deceive me about such matters. At the same time, we should always be aware that some scientists do provide false evidence to support faulty claims. This can lead to great danger for us.
The key to scientific success lies in the scientific attitude, which means that one tests over and over hypotheses, and conducts many experiences to be sure that the results of the study prove the hypotheses with validity and reliability. That is, scientists ask questions which are educated guesses, backed up by an understanding of former or similar studies, and the scientists want to know whether their results can be considered true, based on their evidence and data which they have collected. If the results are true once, they also want to know if the hypotheses can be tested again and produce similar, thus reliable, results.
If scientists make faulty assumptions, or use incorrect evidence, or produce untrue results from their studies, then not only will their reputation be damaged, but also the program in which they work, and possibly a whole field of science will suffer. Honesty is a matter of self interest for scientists, because a scientist's reputation for integrity is his or her most valuable asset.
