T.O.K. Question: Should scientists be held responsible for the negative impacts of their discoveries?

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Theory of Knowledge Journal Question: Should scientists be held responsible for the negative impacts of their discoveries? This question has been debated for quite a while today and there are arguments on both sides, one stating that yes they are responsible and others that state that they are not. This perspective will deal with the fact that scientists are not responsible for the impacts of their
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discoveries.  Scientists attempt to uncover the knowledge that humans do not yet know by the use of the scientific method. Scientists reveal the truths that humans have not yet found and are doing so to further the understanding of the universe. The fact of the matter is that scientists shouldn’t be held responsible for the use of their breakthroughs. A prominent example of this would be the discovery of nuclear fission.  The Italian scientist Enrico Fermi has originally intended to create the first transuranic element, which he attempted to do by bombarding uranium with neutrons. Later Hahn and Strassman of ...

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