THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF RESEARCH ETHICS IN ECONOMICS
Abstract
The content of the concept of "ethics of scientific research" as a system of moral principles, norms and standards regulating the behavior of researchers in the process of obtaining, processing, interpreting and disseminating scientific knowledge is revealed. It is proved that the ethics of scientific research in economics is based on three theoretical approaches: deontology (ethics of Duty), which focuses on compliance with rules and norms, regardless of the consequences; utilitarianism as an ethical theory, according to which the moral value of an act is determined by its usefulness; virtue ethics, which focuses not on the rules or consequences of actions, but on the character of the moral agent (person) and the cultivation of virtues. The conceptual approaches of economists to the ethics of scientific research are shown. The basis of deontology was the concept of duty and the categorical imperative of I. Kant's teaching; A. Smith's ethics is empirical and humanistic, focusing on emotions, empathy and social consensus; A. Sen's teaching justifies the importance of the relationship between economic science and modern ethical paradigms; M. Friedman's research focuses on ethics as responsibility to shareholders; D. Kahneman's research focuses on Ethics in behavioral economics. The ethical principles of economic research are revealed: objectivity, reliability, transparency, academic integrity, and social responsibility. The directions of influencing economic research on people's lives, taking into account conflicts of interest; ethics of Experimental Economics; compliance with the ethics of economic forecasts are determined. The content of the concept of «misconduct in research» is defined as fabrication, falsification or plagiarism in the proposal, execution or review of research, or in reporting on research results. The content of concepts that characterize violations of academic integrity is substantiated: falsification as the invention of data or results and their recording or reporting; fabrication – the invention of data that does not exist; plagiarism as the appropriation of ideas, processes, results or words of another person without proper indication of authorship; «P-hacking» – manipulation of statistical methods.
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