Ethical Dimensions and Values in Science: Between Neutrality and Interests

Abstract

Science is often regarded as a rational human endeavor to understand reality objectively, free from prejudice and particular values. However, throughout its development, science has never been completely detached from the ethical dimensions and values underlying both its processes and    outcomes. This article examines the tension between scientific neutrality and the social, political, and economic interests that inevitably accompany scientific activity. On the one hand, neutrality is considered an essential requirement to preserve the validity and universality of scientific knowledge. The principle of neutrality allows knowledge to be justified logically and methodologically, without being bound to the subjectivity of researchers or specific groups. On the other hand, scientific practice cannot be separated from various interests, whether in the form of research funding, policy orientation, or the broader social consequences of its applications. Therefore, ethical dimensions emerge as a balance to ensure that science does not merely become an instrument of power, but continues to serve humanity. This article highlights the importance of integrating scientific objectivity with moral responsibility, so that science does not lose its social significance. An ethical approach to knowledge development includes awareness of the impacts of research, the need for transparency in scientific processes, and the recognition that universal values such as justice, sustainability, and humanity must guide every production of knowledge. Thus, science should not only be understood as the accumulation of data and theories but also as a transformative tool that shapes civilization. In conclusion, the relationship between neutrality and interest should not be viewed as a contradiction, but rather as a dialectic requiring balance. Neutrality safeguards objectivity, while ethical interests ensure that knowledge remains relevant to human life. The integration of both will generate knowledge that is not only methodologically valid but also morally and socially meaningful.