Final example of justice and integrity

And now for one final example that addresses the ideas, we have been considering thus far around justice and integrity. Here we present two images that are pertinent to our discussion.   Under strict lockdown regimes, it is quite remarkable how people come together to protect the community as a whole.  In this case - people have come together around the critical issue of 'black lives matter' and in doing so are wearing masks - showing social solidarity and care for one another - following COVID-19 lockdown protocols. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is noteworthy how the younger generation has been making huge sacrifices for the older generation, foregoing festivities, social gatherings, keeping social distance and wearing masks for the greater good of their fellow citizens.  They are far less susceptible to COVID-19 and yet, they are aware that their behaviour might impact older - or more vulnerable people - who could suffer, or even die, from the virus. The photo depicts the reality of COVID-19 but it says more than that. We see below a manifestation of humanities potential for co-operation and expression about what matters.  This photo below - on Black Lives Matter - again illustrates the power of self-expression and protest against discrimination - it can be linked to the 'voice' of the singers that we presented above - people who are able, and willing, to express themselves and stand up for what they believe in. This image therefore speaks to the power of voice and of joint action – bringing communities closer to each other through shared values and beliefs. This has everything to do with integrity, ethics and virtue. 

Credit: Unsplash

We have defined ethics, virtue and justice, and provided examples of discrimination, presenting some of the dilemmas around ethics and the choices that individuals have to make – often under difficult circumstances. In the next section, we introduce the idea of research integrity and provide a historical perspective of research integrity and concerns of informed consent.