Moments of Uncertainty: Ethical Considerations and Emerging Contaminants

Science on emerging environmental health threats involves numerous ethical concerns related to scientific uncertainty about conducting, interpreting, communicating, and acting upon research findings, but the connections between ethical decision making and scientific uncertainty are under‐studied in sociology. Under conditions of scientific uncertainty, researcher conduct is not fully prescribed by formal ethical codes of conduct, increasing the importance of ethical reflection by researchers, conflicts over research conduct, and reliance on informal ethical standards. This article draws on in‐depth interviews with scientists, regulators, activists, industry representatives, and fire safety experts to explore ethical considerations of moments of uncertainty using a case study of flame retardants, chemicals widely used in consumer products with potential negative health and environmental impacts. We focus on the uncertainty that arises in measuring people's exposure to these chemicals through testing of their personal environments or bodies. We identify four sources of ethical concerns relevant to scientific uncertainty: 1) choosing research questions or methods, 2) interpreting scientific results, 3) communicating results to multiple publics, and 4) applying results for policy making. This research offers lessons about professional conduct under conditions of uncertainty, ethical research practice, democratization of scientific knowledge, and science's impact on policy.     

Contextualizing Business Ethics: Anomie and Social Life

The objective of this paper is to explore howthe current interest in Business Ethics can be locatedwithin an analysis of contemporary society which takesinto account the prevalence of moral uncertainty along with the concomitant desire to(re)establish some form of normative order. As such,Business Ethics may be seen as a socially constructedfield of study which reflects broaderchanges and controversies within society. Yet as a body of knowledge,Business Ethics articulates epistemological doubts. Twodistinctive themes in Business Ethics discourse areconsidered — the modernist/rationalist and thepostmodernist/relativist. It is argued that in different ways, each canbe seen as both an expression of, and a reaction to, theincreasing incidence of anomie in society. Theimplications for organizational practices are thenconsidered through the example of Corporate Codes ofEthics and the problem of establishing consensus wherethe grounds for any claim to moral authority areproblematic.     

The tidal model. The healing potential of metaphor within a patient's narrative

1. The human experience of growth and development is a fluid phenomenon, occurring in small, barely visible changes. 2. The Tidal Model embraces a patient's expression of his or her experience by focusing on the lived experience of the narrative and its personally meaningful metaphors and symbols. 3. To re-empower a patient, the Tidal Model assessment is written in the patient's own voice and all care planning is conducted conjointly. 4. The Tidal Model was developed from empirical studies of the perceived need for nursing and the process of empowerment in clinical nursing practice.     

Outcasts…Outliers…Oppressed: Civic Advocates in U.S. History Worth Investigating

As de Tocqueville recognized, the U.S. democratic system relies on the advocacy of civic-minded individuals. Although U.S. history is replete with persons using different means to advance one or more democratic principles, VanSledright and Hess argued that secondary history education reinforces a persistent national narrative, one characterized by progress toward achieving national goals, an emphasis on ethnic success stories and avoidance of ethnic struggles and conflicts, and a quest for freedom. Such an approach results in a celebratory story of success, rarely one of struggle or failure. This approach silences those seemingly on the fringes of democratic society, denying students access to a richer, more nuanced narrative and to diverse ways to become civically engaged. To address this situation, we suggest first enabling students to contemplate what influences how individuals become civically engaged, next to apply their thinking to contemporary public policy matters, and finally to compare their decisions to those of historical figures, such as Bayard Rustin, often overlooked in the national narrative.     

The Epistemic Integrity of NASA Practices in the Space Shuttle Program

This article presents an account of epistemic integrity and uses it to demonstrate that the epistemic integrity of different kinds of practices in NASA's Space Shuttle Program was limited. We focus on the following kinds of practices: (1) research by working engineers, (2) review by middle-level managers, and (3) communication with the public. We argue that the epistemic integrity of these practices was undermined by production pressure at NASA, i.e., the pressure to launch an unreasonable amount of flights per year. Finally, our findings are used to develop some potential strategies to protect epistemic integrity in aerospace science.     

The impact of high-calorie-expenditure exercise on quality of life in older adults with coronary heart disease

The acceptability of a high-calorie-expenditure (HCE) exercise program in older coronary heart disease patients participating in a behavioral weight-control program was evaluated. Seventy-four overweight patients (median age 63 yr) were randomly assigned to a 5-mo intervention of HCE exercise (3,000-3,500 kcal/wk daily walking) or standard cardiac-rehabilitation (CR) exercise (700-800 kcal/wk). Both groups received counseling to achieve a dietary caloric deficit of 3,500 kcal/ wk. Assessments at baseline and 5 mo included self-reported measures of quality of life and psychosocial variables. The HCE group experienced significantly greater weight loss (8.2 ± 4 vs. 3.7 ± 5 kg, p < .001). Changes from baseline to 5 mo on scores of physical, emotional, and social functioning were greater for the HCE than CR group (p < .05). HCE exercise also resulted in greater positive change in exercise enjoyment (p = .05), which was mediated by weight change. Even high-risk older adults can be successful in an HCE exercise program and experience no adverse physical or emotional changes.