Ebook: The Great Betrayal: Fraud in Science

Horace Judson's historical commentary (2004) is a stimulating and thoughtful book for readers interested in science, publication ethics, and research misconduct.

He writes with his typical flair, drawing on interviews with famous scientists. His premise is that scrutiny of the nature of fraud and other misconduct will reach to the pulse of what the sciences are and what scientists do.

Most of the citations in this book precede 1996, except for references to stories of misconduct among businessmen, historians, and journalists that have filled the press since 2000.

Striking is Judson's initial chapter, “A Culture of Fraud,” describing public cases of fraud by businessmen, social scientists, clergy, and others. The conclusion is obvious: a few scientists are likely no better and no worse than the few members of the general population who are crooks and charlatans.

Judson believes that fraud is common because it is the inevitable product of the current culture of science. Fraud, he says, is intrinsic in institutional cultures that are “characterized by secrecy, privilege, lack of accountability”.

His epilogue includes a plea to restore high standards to the conduct of scientific research.

The book is recommended (2005) to readers interested in fundamental research ethics and their historical and political context in the new millennium.