Key words: The scientific conscience, A. Einstein, scientist, ethics and morals.
The ethos of science（universalism, , disinterestedness, organized skepticism） or the nature of science (the truth (true) of science: objectivity，autonomy, inheritance, skepticism; the behoof of science: communism, humanitarianism, fairness, tolerance; the beautiful of science: originality, unity, harmony, simplicity) openly reminds and exerts a subtle influence on scientists at a great deal of any moment, that would make them to understand what they ought or oughtn’t to do. The scientists, working in scientific communities, gradually form a set of the standards of external behaviors, which conform to moral norm and not all exist writings, through passing on from generation to generation, their owe practices，self-reflection, and intuitive comprehension. These standards are keeping in with the existing morals, the their internalization in scientist’s mental world is the scientific conscience of scientist, that is, correct belief in right and wrong, good and evil inside scientist's heart of hearts regarding values and ethics in science and its related realm, as well as the consciousness, self-examination and even self-reproach towards morals duty they should bear. For the scientist as an individual, the scientific conscience can consciously or unconsciously norm his statements and actions: he would delight for the good results, and also would feel remorseful and uneasy for the bad consequences. To community of scientists, scientific conscience usually becomes a kind of “collective unconsciousness”, thus insures science can more successfully move in the normal orbit. The scientific conscience is moral character that every scientist should have, and is also the essential factor in scientific research and scientific progress as well.
Albert Einstein is the commanding general of the physics revolution, greatest scientist, thinker and man, is also and spokesperson of science and the incarnation of the scientific conscience in the 20th century. He embodies focally the ethos of modern science, the scientific conscience and the good sense of the scientist. Taking Albert Einstein for typical case study, this paper more deeply inquires into discussed topic from seven aspects, i.e. the motives of scientific exploration, the aim of scientific pursuit, safeguarding the autonomy of science, defending the academic freedom, the behaviors in scientific activities, the consciousness with regard to researchable consequences, the attitude towards scientific honors.
(1) The motives of scientific exploration: To make a picture of the world and to long for beholding a pre-established harmony.
In the year 1918 Einstein delivered an address at a celebration of Max Planck’s sixtieth birthday. He said: in the temple of science are many mansions, and various indeed are they that dwell therein and the motives that have led them thither. Many take to science out of a joyful sense of superior intellectual power; science is their own special sport to which they look for vivid experience and satisfaction of ambition; many others are to be found in the temple who have offered the products of their brains on this altar for purely utilitarian purposes. Despite Einstein did not blame and deny these two types of people, but he pointed out: If the types we have just expelled were the only types there were, the temple would never have come to be, any more than a forest can grow which consist on nothing but creepers. For these people any sphere of human activity will do, if it comes to a point; whether they become engineers, officers, tradesmen, or scientist depends on circumstances.
Einstein held that, in the temple of science, most of those people who have found favor with the angel are somewhat odd, uncommunicative and solitary fellows. The strongest motives that lead them to science are two ones. One of the motives is a negative one that comes from Schopenhauer’s opinion: in order to escape from everyday life with its painful crudity and hopeless dreariness, from the fetters of one’s own ever shifting desires. The other motive is a positive one. That is, man tries to make for himself in the fashion that suits him best a simplified and intelligible picture of the world, and longs to behold the pre-established harmony that was happily described by Leibnitz. Each makes this cosmos and its construction the pivot of his emotional life, in order to find in this way the peace and security, which he cannot find in the narrow whirlpool of personal experience.
Einstein felt that these the two motives were both noble-minded, but he more or less appreciated the positive one. He considered that to make a picture of the world and to long for beholding a pre-established harmony are the source of the inexhaustible patience and perseverance with which Planck has devoted himself to the most general problems of our science, refusing to let himself be diverted to more grateful and more easily attained ends. Here Einstein made mention of a interesting metaphor: this attitude cannot be attributed to extraordinary will-power and discipline, the state of mind is akin to that of the religious worshiper or the lover; the daily effort comes from no deliberate intention or program, but straight from the heart. By “the heart”Einstein meant “the cosmic religious feeling” in which he believed. He explained why “ the cosmic religious feeling is the strongest and noble motive for scientific research.”
(2) The aim of scientific pursuit: Discovering truth, science for its own sake.
The aim of scientific pursuit is closely relating to the motives of scientific exploration. Einstein said: “The aim of science is, on the one hand, a comprehension, as complete as possible, of the connection between the sense experience in their totality, and, on the other hand, the accomplishment of this aim by the use of a minimum of primary concepts and relations.” Speak for itself he positioned science in seeking the systematic experience knowledge here. He spoke more clear and definite in another place: the aim of science, tangibly say, is to discover the truth , despite he thought scientific theories only are “some approximate truth”, “the trueness of a natural law is infinite”.
Exactly according to the above views, Einstein initiated “science for its own sake”, as Henri Poincaré did. In his opinion, Science itself carries its purpose, and yet need not aim at other intention so that to deviate its own path. Therefore he time and again emphasized: “science exists for its own sake, just as art does for its own sake.” “Scientific research can flourish only if it is pursued for its own sake, without regard to its practical application.” He deeply realized: “Thought for its own sake is as wonderful as music! ”
Einstein still treated the pursuit of truth from a vast field of vision of ethics and morals. Followed Spinoza, he connected the pursuit of truth with the pursuit of good and of perfect morals, because the ultimate good in human mind can be included in the truth. For this reason, scientists implement their own social responsibility and moral duty in dedicating themselves to the pursuing of the truth. The truth’s impersonality and transcultural quality make this kind of pursuing possible. No wonder Einstein thought: The principle that the desire for truth must take precedence of all other desires is a supreme good ; The search and striving for truth and knowledge are one of the highest of man’s qualities .
Later generations respond to Einstein’s above-mentioned views. Professor Mohr said just right: Not only the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake is the noble ideal for scientists, but also is the essence of the scientific approach, simultaneously is a product of a cultural evolution.
(3) Safeguarding the autonomy of science: positive resistance, keeping relative independence.
The literal meaning of “autonomy” is self-rule. The autonomy of science contains the both connotations: it is something of scientist individual as well as of scientific community. Of the former, just as I. Kant ever said in Groundwork for Metaphysics of Morals: “Autonomy is the ground of the dignity of human nature and of every rational nature.”(Sect.2.) Of the latter, the autonomy of science means the tension between two factors, i.e. the factor that science relies on its social milieu and the factor that the independent core of science can self-decide and self- develop. That is to say, scientific community wants to make every effort to bring the exterior influence on science into intrinsic logic of science self-moving, and to keep relative independence of science.
Einstein’s inner world and external actions were all autonomic. From cradle to grave, he spared no effort for safeguarding the autonomy of science. His independent personality was a clear marking of his own autonomy. This manifested fully itself in his solitary personality (Einspänner) as well as extraordinary and free from vulgarity character. Actuality made Einstein to feel bitterly disappointing，because a handful of men, that those control power in economy and politics, made the scientists depending on others for their living, at the same time threatened their spiritual independence, in order to force them to keep silence as a cicada in cold weather, to resign oneself to adversity, and even to help a villain do evil. In the face of this situation Einstein’s attitude was very resolute: better be a bird’s beak than a cow’s anus, rather be a broken piece of jade than a whole tile.
On August 1924, a handful German fascists and anti-Semites with their gathered together members of a clique, whom Einstein slightly named “the company against theory of relativity”, insanely opposed theory of relativity, viciously attacked Einstein himself, and with ulterior motives fabricated a myth of “the German physics” antagonism to “the Jewish physics”. At once Einstein gave them tit for tat, and pierced to the truth with one pertinent remark: “The motive that instigates their business enterprise is not a wishes to pursue the truth.” 。In the year 1933, for protest about Hitler seizing power by a fascist coup détas Einstein angrily resigned his position as academician of academy of sciences, and abandoned the Prussia civic rights. Because he did not wish to live in a country where civil liberty, tolerance and equality of all citizens before the law does not prevail, and where freedom of speech and teaching can be not enjoyed. He positively refused to request him from speaking a good word for the German people. He said:“To give such ‘testimony’ would be a denial of all the principles of justice and liberty for which I have Stood all my life. Such testimony would not have been a demonstration in behalf of the German people; rather, it would only have furthered the cause of those who seek to destroy the very ideas and principles that have earned the German people a place of honor in the civilized world. Had I issued such testimony in the present circumstances, I would have contributed, if only indirectly, to moral corruption and the destruction of all existing cultural values.” During 1950’s, McCarthyism indulged in atrocities the United States and wantonly persecuted intellectual, with the result that the scientific community was disturbed. For this, Einstein many times declared, conversed, and vigorously took a stand against it. His scientific conscience has a sense of liabilities, bounden duty, and historical mission. He so said:“At long intervals I have publicly expressed opinions on such conditions in society which I considered to be so bad and unfortunate that silence would have made me feel guilty of complicity.”
(4) Defending the academic freedom: Fight for the external freedom, forever maintaining freedom of heart.
Einstein thought, it was in science only a free individual can make a discovery or invention. One can organize the application of a discovery or invention already made, but one cannot organize the discovery itself. Therefore, to make a guarantee of the academic freedom in the scientific community and to respect scientist’s free pioneering spirit is a reasonable matter. Just as Einstein said: “I feel there cannot be any doubt that the pursuit of truth and scientific knowledge ought to be treated as sacred by every government, and that it serves the highest interest of society as a whole to respect the freedom of those who sincerely seek truth and scientific knowledge.”
Einstein clear-headedly noticed: “By freedom I understand social condition of such a kind that the expression of opinions and assertions about general and particular matters of knowledge will not involve dangers or serious disadvantages for him who expresses them.” In the first instance it must guarantee by law. Then there must be a spirit of tolerance in the entire population. For the scientific advancement this is outward freedom. “The development of science and the creative activities of the spirit in general requires still another kind of freedom, which may be characterized as inward freedom. It is this freedom of the spirit，which consists in the independence of thought from the restrictions of authoritarian and social prejudices as well as from unphilosophical routinizing and habit in general. This inward freedom is an infrequent gift of nature and a worthy objective for the individual.”
Einstein was a man having freest mind, and also a fighter for defending the academic freedom and the researchable freedom. For the sake of fighting against the wicked force in an invasion of freedom of thought, he issued statements, expressed opinions, and gave it merciless exposing and attacking times by times. At the same time, he appealed to intellectuals for strengthening their sense of morals and responsibility, for implementing their special mission (because they can enormously influence public opinion), and for struggling with it by the every kind of way. Aiming at the political persecution and at breaking scientific freedom that the United States government carried out in 1950’s, Einstein publicly unmasked that these mean and petty actions is a mental uneasy disease. Further he indicates: “ If I were a young man again and had to decide how to make a living, I would not try to become a scientist or scholar or teacher. I would choose to be a plumber or peddler, in hope of finding that modest degree of independence still available under present circumstances.”
