The Age of Scientific Misconduct

Abstract

　In Japan, scientific misconduct became a social problem after the STAP cell problem of 2014, which resulted in the reinforcement of research integrity education. On the contrary, in this paper, we focus on the social background that produced scientific misconduct and aim to clarify the transformation of knowledge production including science in the modern society. For this purpose, not only the scientific misconduct but also the peer review and impact factor as a mechanism of knowledge production were analyzed and the theoretical examinations were also conducted critically on PLACE theory and post-normal · science theory. As a result, it has been suggested that social changes after the 1970-80s; such as, the change of the social function of the university, researcher’s precariazation, institutionalization of competition in knowledge production, etc. are structural factors which forced researchers to conduct scientific misconduct. In order to solve the problem of scientific misconduct, ethical education of research integrity on each researcher is not an answer. It is necessary to radically rethink the current state of research and development system in science.