ABSTRACT
Kitcher begins with the observation that scientific investigation occurs within particular societies, and that most contemporary societies, if not all, are home to significant but remediable unjust inequalities with respect to the well-being of individuals. These inequalities range from economic disadvantage and lower-than-average life expectancy to restricted access to valuable opportunities and positions. This chapter argues that Kitcher's proposal is inadequate. Given that the issue of moral constraints on inquiry is especially pressing under contemporary social and political conditions, the chapter provides a few guiding norms for the politics and communication of controversial scientific findings. Kitcher's view invites the analogue of Williams's critique. Scientific research programs require ex ante commitments of personal, institutional, and financial resources. Contemporary research programs often involve the coordination over many years of several researchers working in different sub-fields and in different locations. Long-term commitment is necessary for effective science.
