The karmic order

The Buddhist view of karma is that there are universal and discoverable principles that distinguish good behaviour from bad.  This is a radical alternative to theistic sources of ethics:

• Don’t do what you want, and do what you don’t want to do, because a priest insists that someone you can’t believe in tells you to…

It is also a radical alternative to the purely rational sources of ethics:

• Trying to calculate what would bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number.  (But why do this?) 
• Cause as little interference to others as possible, and let them do whatever doesn’t interfere with others.  (This leads to the ethics of public opinion, which is all many scientists have.)
• Evolutionary ethics — behave in ways you decide must be programmed in genetically, because you will tend to leave more breeding offspring if you do (a very depressing source of noble human acts).

Applying the precepts to science

1.  Not harming and acting from love.

2.  Not appropriating resources and possessions, and freely sharing.

3.  Not going for selfish gratifications, and not inducing neediness and dissatisfaction.

4.  Communicating with integrity and kindness.

5.  Protecting your consciousness as something precious and vulnerable — what affects it?  Look out for pride, status seeking, professional jealousy, fear of the vastness of truth, and taking refuge in petty egotistical projects, pursuits and obsessions.

 You can apply these to science,   overriding unconsidered pursuit of dazzling results, and the demands of paymasters. Look out for military and profit motives corrupting scientists.

Thus consider unethical type of science, perhaps fulfilling these criteria corresponding to the five precepts.

1. It is for benefit, expressing love.

2. It is exuberant and abundant, freely shared.

3. It is tranquil and peaceful, not craving-driven.

4. It is guided by truth, with a strong emphasis on finding effective ways to communicate it.

5. It is meditative, expanding the scope of awareness, always in an atmosphere of wonder at the beauty of the mind and universe, and knowing there is always more there that is unknown, and with a sense that it can’t all come together within a discursive and divided intellect.