Scientific activity: problems of transformation (ethical and social aspects)

The article presents a socio-philosophical analysis of the transformation process of research activity at the present stage. This process is characterized by two trends: the "knowledge society" changes in the social sphere due to the transformation of knowledge in the human environment and the science is shifting focus toward the application of scientific knowledge in the technologies improvement adjusted on the perception of science by society. The article relying on the activity approach shows how the increased social role of science is changing the norms of scientific activity, scientific creativity, its nature and structure, the challenges faced by the subject of knowledge. The great potential of acitivity approach to the analysis of specificity of scientific activities is illustrated, which can be applied to the analysis of both theoretical and practical problems in the field of science and scientific management development. It is shown that scientific activity which aims at the achievement of objective knowledge and truth is exposed today to the serious test by sociality. Evaluation without regard to the purpose of the activity, in terms of a particular social situation, may seriously alter the nature of this activity and its focus and distort its purpose. The resulting situation is analyzed in which scientific work is alienated when the scientific labour is turned into activity opposing to itself. The situation of alienation is created when several combined factors, specific research activities, such as intentions, ideas, interests, conditions, etc., associated in the network of feedbacks begin to exist separately. Basing on the ideas of K. Marx, R. Merton the need for ethical component in the activities is demonstrated, which also works to preserve the important principle of universality (universal access) of the scientific work and its results. The ambivalent nature of the ethos of science and the relationship between science and the social sphere is demonstrated by discussions around the "open access" policy and the examples of violation of the principle of universality and other principles of the ethos of science (CUDOS) in the scientific community. Thus, it is concluded that the orientation of science toward "pure" profit, benefit, applicaple results and toward its determination as an assessment, not a goal, may lead to the fact that it will turn into an activity, opposing to itself.

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