I was reading a particularly fascinating piece on the scientific experiments that the Nazis performed that would not otherwise have been done. For example, virtually everything we know about hypothermia (what temperature is lethal, how it kills) is from Nazi experimentation on other people in fatal submersions. So the question arises: Are we ethically justified in using and citing this information which was received by unethical means?
Knowledge itself is not ethical/unethical it's how we choose to use it. The experiments you cited were inhumane but I can't see how using the information to provide help and safety to people in the future can be construed as unethical. Rather I would think it could serve to give a slight meaning to the prisoners' deaths, though it's not much. At least we can prevent such deaths from occurring to innocent people with this.
That is an interesting question, it really boils down to are you willing to achieve your goals through ANY means necessary? A colleague of mine once had a pool party, his grandfather (around 85?) was basically a collector of Nazi memorabilia, among them was a experiment log documented by the angel of death himself. We learn that it is impossible to sew 2 humans together (of the same blood type) and have them survive in a symbiotic relationship, we also know that it is possible to cur depression by getting rid of feelings all together (jamming an ice pick through the nose and scrambling the front part of the brain). These are all interesting things that may advance science, but they are inhumane, and that is where the question of ethics come into play. If it has already been done, there should be no problem in citing these as sources, however, I believe it is implausible to continue with such experiments.
Are we ethically justified in using and citing this information which was received by unethical means?
Whatever we do with the information, the fact remains that people have suffered for it, and it will not affect them. If the information can be used to help people then we should use it. In psychology a large number of the most revealing experiments were conducted in unethical conditions, yet they are still widely cited. I would argue it is not ok to create these unethical conditions for the sake of research, but if something like this happens it should not be put to waste.
Alot of people think that but I'm suprised there are even split oppinions on it to be honest and anybody that thinks we should disgard that knowledge would change their tune very quickly if they or a friend or loved one was in need of what the knowledge offers. Plus the damage has been done from then on all the results can do is help.
This is a really tough one. On the one hand knowledge gained from inhuman experiments and what not can help people. Kind of like using animals I mean experiments using animals in 'inhuman' conditions has helped countless lives. But the other hand people have to suffer during the experiment. But the on yet another hand the Nazis did these experiments so they are wrong just because of that. :P
It really boils down to right and wrong. I mean if one person has to die a slow and horrible death for dozens of others to live. What would you do save the person so the others die or kill the person for others to live. So its numbers and logic against ethics and principles.
Whatever we do with the information, the fact remains that people have suffered for it, and it will not affect them. If the information can be used to help people then we should use it.
That's bang on. It's like if someone from the mob gives you 2 million dollars. You could refuse it, in which case they're have 2 million more dollars. Or, you could take it. Even if you don't want to spend it on yourself, you can give it to charity or a worthy cause like cancer research.
