Experiments with twins

[Sriram]

Hi everyone,

Can science justify such intrusive experiments?!

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220817-the-twins-who-were-split-up-at-birth

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A New York adoption agency deliberately split up infant twins in the 1960s as part of a controversial study.

What emerged a few years later was that Seckler and Pritzl were part of a controversial study. In the 1960s, a then well-respected adoption agency – Louise Wise Services in New York, deliberately split up at least 10 sets of infant twins or triplets and placed them in separate families. Seckler and Pritzl were among six sets of newborn identical multiples separated between 1960 and 1969, including one set of triplets.

The agency had partnered with a group of psychiatrists and psychologists in an attempt to tease out what makes us who we are. They wanted to know how much of our identities are defined by our nature, and our nurture – but at what cost?

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Any views?

Sriram

[Maeght]

Hi everyone,

Can science justify such intrusive experiments?!

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220817-the-twins-who-were-split-up-at-birth

***********

A New York adoption agency deliberately split up infant twins in the 1960s as part of a controversial study.

What emerged a few years later was that Seckler and Pritzl were part of a controversial study. In the 1960s, a then well-respected adoption agency – Louise Wise Services in New York, deliberately split up at least 10 sets of infant twins or triplets and placed them in separate families. Seckler and Pritzl were among six sets of newborn identical multiples separated between 1960 and 1969, including one set of triplets.

The agency had partnered with a group of psychiatrists and psychologists in an attempt to tease out what makes us who we are. They wanted to know how much of our identities are defined by our nature, and our nurture – but at what cost?

***********

Any views?

Sriram

Not sure what you mean by science justifying it. Some scientists might justify it in terms of the end justifying the means. Some wouldn't. Science doesn't have an opinion as it isn't a entity.

I don't think such a thing is justified in order to gain the knowledge that was being sought.

[Roses]

There is no justification for that shocking 'scientific' experiment!

[Harrowby Hall]

More information here:

www.bbc.com/future/article/20220817-the-twins-who-were-split-up-at-birth

[SqueakyVoice]

There is a science ethics organisation formed in (approx)1970.

There are loads of guidelines you could read here.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/ethics-of-science

Warning; They'd need ALOT of reading before reaching  any decision.