A Non-Paternalistic Model of Research Ethics and Oversight
This chapter argues that prospective review of research before bodies of diverse representation should not be understood as a paternalistic interference in the private interactions between researchers and participants. Instead, it is a mechanism for resolving a set of coordination problems that threaten the integrity of research. Its proper role is to provide credible social assurance that the research enterprise constitutes a voluntary scheme of cooperation through which diverse stakeholders can contribute to the common good without being subject to the arbitrary exercise of social authority including antipathy, abuse, coercion, domination, exploitation, or other forms of harmful, unfair, or disrespectful treatment. The limitations of prospective review are discussed, including the need for mechanisms that better address incentives for a wider range of stakeholders whose decisions shape the research agenda.