ABSTRACT

Scientific discoveries are often to some degree influenced by luck. Whether luck’s influence is at odds with common-sense intuitions about responsibility, is the central concern of the philosophical debate about moral luck. Do scientists acknowledge that luck plays a role in their work and – if so – do they consider it morally problematic? The present article discusses the results of four focus groups with scientists, who were asked about their views on luck in their fields and its moral implications. The participants underscored circumstantial luck as a key dimension of luck in science. Nevertheless, most participants insisted that there are ways of executing ‘control’ in science: They believe that virtues and skills can increase one’s chances for success. The cultivation of these skills and virtues was considered a reasonable ground for pride. Prizes and rewards were rarely tied to personal desert, but instead to their societal function.

摘要

科学发现常常在某种程度上受到运气的影响。运气的影响是否与关于责任的常识直觉相抵触，这是关于道德运气的哲学辩论的中心问题。科学家是否承认运气在他们的工作中发挥了作用？如果是的话，他们是否认为这在道德上有问题？本文与科学家讨论了四个焦点小组的结果，他们被问及他们对各自领域的运气及其道德含义的看法。参加者强调环境运气是科学运气的关键方面。但是，大多数参与者坚持认为，存在科学上执行“控制”的方法：他们相信美德和技能可以增加一个人获得成功的机会。这些技能和美德的培养被认为是引以为傲的合理理由。