Re: [asa] ICR's GENE project - ethics

> The words "In view of the nature of ICR" still suggests the argument is
> "since ICR is fraudulent then messing with their work is ethically OK."

One could make a slightly more refined version of this argument,
namely "because the ICR thinks this is OK for them to do (e.g., in
submitting inappropriate samples for radiometric dating), therefore it
is OK to do to the ICR".

Or one could try for a "letter of the law but not spirit of the law"
approach, e.g. "here's a sample scraped from my cheek" without
mentioning the incidental detail of having a mouth full of sushi at
the time.

However, these are still incorrect. Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you, not as they do unto you.

I work on DNA identification of samples. I'd be perfectly happy if
someone sent me a sample (and the funding-I'm out right now) as a test
to see if my methods were working, though the sample would need to be
properly treated and not deliberately fudged. I haven't investigated
details of their protocol, but I think one could be ethical by asking
about submitting some samples that are different-perhaps even offering
to provide a blind test. Finding out more about exactly what analyses
they envision would also be important, as far as knowing what type of
unknown would be appropriate to submit.

-- 
Dr. David Campbell
425 Scientific Collections
University of Alabama
"I think of my happy condition, surrounded by acres of clams"
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