Citing Nazi research

[WillJ]

Although most of the human experimentation the Nazis did was scientifically flawed, some of it produced valid, useful results. Most significantly, their amazing disregard for human subject welfare allowed them to discover some useful things about hypothermia that are beyond the scope of any imaginable human-subject-friendly scientific experimentation.

The question is, is it ethically acceptable for scientists to use the data from this research?

More generally, when Party A does something horrible to Party B without B's consent, and something useful comes out of it, is it ethically acceptable for Party C (who has no involvement in the A-B interaction) to use the result of Party A's action for the good of Party C and the rest of humanity?

 

[nonconformist]

Same thingn happened with the Japs after WWII. It's damn useful to know the results of infecting people with anthrax and such, without having the blood on your hands.
Half the stuff we know about biological warfare, cosmetics, and conditions involving high altitude, sea water and ilness vcome from the Nazis and Japs.

 

[Yoda Power]

It would be stupid to not use the data if it is there, but obviously there shouldn't be any more of such research.

 

[Kozmos]

That's why I am saying to use life sentence and death row prisoners for medical testing. Cruel and unusual punishment whatever, they probably deserved it.

 

[nonconformist]

It would be stupid to not use the data if it is there, but obviously there shouldn't be any more of such research.

Most of the data was received in exchange for complete immunity for all crimes, including vivisection.

 

[El_Machinae]

As long as I'm not giving money to the abusers, to compensate them for their troubles.

 

[Phlegmak]

Yes it is ethical.

 

[Swedishguy]

Well, using it has lead to major scientific progress, so what's wrong with using it?

 

[silver 2039]

Yes totally ethical to use the reserech. You might as well take a bad event and slavage something useful from it.

 

[Masquerouge]

I wonder if these researches have the appropriate level of scientific approach though... Because if it's just "let's dunk that guy into freezing water and see how long he lasts", that's not very useful.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

I don't see why it would be unethical to use the research? It would be like not studying hurricane patterns because the hurricane killed thousands.

However, pardoning people who committed crimes for scientific data is.. morally ambiguous. However, you have to do it if the benefits for human kind are great enough. It's like when you let one gang member off when he turns all the other gang members in.

 

[silver 2039]

I wonder if these researches have the appropriate level of scientific approach though... Because if it's just "let's dunk that guy into freezing water and see how long he lasts", that's not very useful.

Actually I believe that has proved useful for rescuse operations and such so they know how long they have to get to a person in freezing water and things like that.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

Actually I believe that has proved useful for rescuse operations and such so they know how long they have to get to a person in freezing water and things like that.

Or, more importantly, how to revive a person who has been in freezing water for x period of time.

 

[pboily]

No, he means, can we trust the Nazi scientists to have used the scientific method (or something akin to it)?

Are the results reliable?

 

[Masquerouge]

No, he means, can we trust the Nazi scientists to have used the scientific method (or something akin to it)?

Are the results reliable?

Yes, that's what I meant, thanks

 

[Yeeek]

If the Data is there, why not use it? If it can allow some lab mouse to live, i'm for it!

 

[Evil Tyrant]

It would be best to examine such things on a case by case basis. Subjects and experiments with heavy race or genetic components should probably be avoided, since Nazis were unlikely to look at such matters objectively. However, I see no reason why the freezing/de-freezing experiments should not be used. As I understand it, they were done primarily to benefit German soldiers and pilots, not for racial theories. Hypothermia was a practical problem, one for which the Nazis needed a practical solution. So I would be willing to at least look at their research. As for ethics, what is done is done. We can't undo the past, and might as well take what useful information we can from it.

 

[Heretic_Cata]

That's why I am saying to use life sentence and death row prisoners for medical testing. Cruel and unusual punishment whatever, they probably deserved it.

I'd agree with that. But only if the prisoner aprooves. In other words their families get the money and he dies sooner or somthing. Everyone wins.
If they want it to be more humane then give him a ton of morphine before the tests or smthing.

But wouldn't this make a huge demand for life sentence/death row prisoners on the market ?
Me thinks they should make more violent computer games or smthing to increase the supply.

 

[MjM]

No reason not to use it.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Better to cite the Nazi research than re-try the experiments...

But seriously, it's appalling that such experiments were conducted, and awful that Japanese scientists were given free passes on it. But if there is something to be learned of these experiments, then let us learn it. Should we not study the effects of radiation on atomic bomb survivors because of the nature of the beginning of the study? Why not make the best of an awful situation?

And really, death row prisoners are people, too, no matter how awful their crimes. Lock them up, put them to death, but don't cut them open or whatever horrid stuff y'all might be proposing...