title: Data fabrication and falsification and empiricist philosophy of science.
abstract: Scientists have rules pertaining to data fabrication and falsification that are enforced with significant punishments, such as loss of funding, termination of employment, or imprisonment. These rules pertain to data that describe observable and unobservable entities. In this commentary I argue that scientists would not adopt rules that impose harsh penalties on researchers for data fabrication or falsification unless they believed that an aim of scientific research is to develop true theories and hypotheses about entities that exist, including unobservable ones. This argument presents a challenge for constructive empiricists, such as van Fraassen. Constructive empiricists need to be able to explain why rules pertaining to data fabrication and falsification do not threaten their philosophy of science.
authors: NIEHS/NIH, 111 Alexander Drive, Mail Drop CU 03, Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA, resnikd@niehs.nih.gov.
authors: David B
authors: DB
authors: Resnik
mesh_terms: D008192:Deception; D019348:Empiricism; D006801:Humans; D010684:Philosophy; D012586:Science / Q000941:ethics*; D015871:Scientific Misconduct
references: Science. 2004 Mar 12;303(5664):1669-74
references: 14963337
references: Science. 2005 Jun 17;308(5729):1777-83
references: 15905366
references: Nature. 2006 Jan 5;439(7072):8
references: 16397471
references: PLoS One. 2009 May 29;4(5):e5738
references: 19478950