Dynamic Boundaries
Historically, ethics discourse has reinforced the “othering” of the scientist as an individual who is different, held separate from society and other forms of knowledge production. This othering results in boundary creation that is contingent on where the lines are drawn and by whom. This presents an interesting challenge to current ethics discourse, necessitating flexibility and contextuality. In this challenge, virtue ethics can make a significant contribution. By focusing on boundary ethics, the infinitely variable social practice of science is presented as a negotiation of ever-changing boundaries. Subsequently, the scientist is understood as a morally robust individual who can flexibly deal with the fluctuating spaces created by boundaries without changing their ethical integrity. As such, understanding the role of boundaries affords a very different interpretation of what science is.