It is widely agreed upon that there are guidelines and rules about what you can and cannot do while engaging in scientific research. For instance, even if you could learn a lot about a certain drug by giving it to people without their knowledge, such actions are not permitted. There are moral limits to what methods scientists can employ.
But are there also moral limits on the kinds of research questions that scientists can pursue, even supposing the methods are acceptable? For example, there is a long history of scientists inquiring into the relationship between race and intelligence. Early studies in this area tried to measure differences in skull size. More recent studies have looked at statistics about the relationship between IQ tests and racial categories. Many of these race and intelligence studies have been plagued with statistical and scientific mistakes. But some critics say that even if these mistakes had not been made, the question itself is not one that scientists should, morally, be asking.
With this history in mind, imagine that you are a young scientist who has access to grant money to investigate what you think is an interesting psychological question: is there a biological difference between boys and girls when it comes to mathematical ability? You are torn about whether to accept the grant and thus start this research.
On the one hand, you know there are stereotypes about girls not being good at math. And in this context, perhaps even inquiring into the question will simply make things worse off for women and girls who have been historically discriminated against. If you find there is no biological basis, no one who is biased is likely to change their mind. And if you find there is a biological basis, it will create an even worse environment for girls who want to pursue mathematics. Furthermore, initial results for studies like these are often difficult to interpret, and you know that scientific literacy is not great in the general population.
On the other hand, maybe it is okay to do some research in this area, so long as you try to explain any differences in mathematical ability in terms of social issues like sexism. That is, maybe it is okay to accept the grant if your goal is to debunk the idea that there is a biological basis for the difference.
But you also feel that there is a danger in putting moral limits on the kinds of questions that scientists can ask. After all, it is only by allowing different theories to be investigated in careful, scientific ways that we can find out what is true. And the truth is important! You also wonder whether saying that certain topics are “off-limits” may actually increase sexist beliefs. People may see moral bans on such inquiry as attempts to hide the “real” but unpalatable truth.
What is a young scientist to do?