The issue of freedom and ethical responsibiliy in scientific and technological activities and lessons learned in Vietnam nowadays

John Stuart Mill; Vu Trong Dung,... show that the authors agree that "freedom is the most valuable asset; It never comes and goes away automatically. Humans can only preserve freedom where it is conscious and people feel responsible for it". It is a category of history - freedom is perceived and explained in the course of the development of human history. According to Nguyen Tran Bat, "Freedom is a parallel process of thinking and acting"; Dinh Ngoc Thach points out that "freedom is the sacred value and the essence of human nature, the ontological basis of life. The category of "freedom" refers to human needs and capabilities in activities that are consistent with their interests and goals, without interference or obstruction from outside”. - Some studies are more inclined to the concept of responsibility, by Nguyen Van Thuc; Tran Duc Cuong; Nguyen Thi Lan Huong also 6 agreed that responsibility is the ability of people to be aware of their performance in the relationship between one person and another and with the community as well as with the surrounding environment. These are the constraints to our speech, our actions, ensuring our actions to be right, and if not, to suffer the consequences and have the obligation to handle those consequences. 1.1.2. Theoretical studies on scientific and technological activities Out of the documents on scientific and technological activities, the first to be mentioned is the Law on Science and Technology of Vietnam in 2013. The Laws have explained the terms "science", "technology", "scientific research", "technological development"; These concepts and others are also covered in the 2012 R & D Information Guide; The authors more or less researched on science and technology activities such as Phan Xuan Dung; Nguyen Van Phuc, Nguyen Thai Son,... have the common idea that: science is the system of knowledge about nature, society, thinking that is accumulated in the course of history. Science is a summary of the long-term development of knowledge. The purpose of science is to discover the nature and objective laws of the objects and to explain them. Science is the most important part of spiritual culture, a historical and social phenomenon that occurs in human life, an important form of social consciousness. Technology is generally the method of processing, manufacturing, changing the state, nature, shape of raw materials or semi-finished products used in the production process to create finished products. 1.1.3. Studies on the relationship between freedom and ethical responsibility in science and technology Research on the relationship between freedom and ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities is included in 7 some ethics textbooks and works by authors such as Nguyen Dinh Hoa; Nguyen Van Phuc, etc., which emphasizes the significant importance of science and technology. However, the effects of a market economy on science, technical and technology activities are often both positive and negative. In turn, scientific and technological activities also have a twofold impact on social development and ethics. In that relationship, "science, engineering and technology, together with their achievements, are the foundation, the basis for the formation and development of true human values" and "the development of a modern scientific and technological revolution and its gradual growth into direct production force not only altered the position of people in the production process, but also fundamentally changed the social production. Therefore, science and technology also strongly influence the development of morality, changing the scale of values and the rules governing the workings of people and society". However, Its social and ethical implications also cannot avoide the negative effects that the scientists with the overviewing works initially pointed out. 1.2. Studies on the content of the issue of freedom and ethical responsibility in science and technology The issue of freedom and ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities in particular and labor and human production in general are receiving the attention of the whole society. Recognizing the importance of science and technology in social life, thanks to the advances in science and technology, human beings have increasingly understood the infinite world and gradually liberated labor, moving from physical labour to using machines and intellectual work... The science fields also provided people with new knowledge such as step by step discovering the universe, exploring the natural world, providing 8 knowledge that is useful for people. In the field of science and technology, the relationship between freedom and ethical responsibility has also been studied in works by prominent authors such as Thomas Kuhn; Vuong Thi Bich Thuy; Nguyen Van Viet; Nguyen Trong Chuan; Nguyen Thai Son, etc. 1.3. Studies on the lessons learned in the harmonious combination of freedom and ethical responsibility in science and technology activities in Vietnam nowadays. To provide specific lessons for Vietnam in harmonizing the development of freedom and enhancing ethical responsibility in science and technology, the author of the thesis studied some of the researches by the following authors: Nguyen Thi Lan Huong; Pham Van Duc; Le Thi; Nguyen Van Viet; Nguyen Van Phuc; Nguyen Thai Son... In these studies, the authors more or less discuss solutions to human responsibility for the consequences of their scientific and technological activities such as solutions to environmental issues, the problems of biomedical technology... But it can be said: The answer to the question: how to combine harmoniously free development with raising ethical responsibility of the subjects in scientific and technological activities in Vietnam in the process of industrialization and modernization, although necessary, but so far, the author of the thesis has not found any research on this issue in Vietnam. It can be said that this is a big gap to study. 1.4. The value of the reviewed works and the issues need further studying and clarifying in the thesis 1.4.1. The value of the reviewed works First of all, the above-mentioned research papers deal with important aspects of the concept of freedom, the concept of responsibility, the ethical responsibility; scientific and technological 9 activities; the relationship between freedom and ethical responsibility in science and technology. Secondly, these studies at certain angles have analyzed the basic content of the issue of freedom and ethical responsibility in science and technology in general and in scientific and technological activities in Vietnam in particular. Thirdly, these studies are suggestions for the author of the thesis to draw lessons for Vietnam today in combining harmoniously freedom with ethical responsibility in science and technology. However, no research has been conducted in depth from the theoretical point of view to the contents and lessons learned in order to develop freedom and enhance ethical responsibility of people in scientific and technological activities in general and in Vietnam today in particular, that is the large gap for the thesis author to carry out the thesis. 1.4.2. Issues need further studying and clarifying Firstly, to further study to clarify theories of freedom and responsibility and ethical responsibility. In particular, the thesis should clarify systematically how the relationship between freedom and responsibility is expressed. Next, in theory, the thesis needs to clarify the implication of the concept of scientific and technological activities and define clearly, what is freedom and ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities. Secondly, to analyze the basic content of the issue of freedom and ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities and identify some of the current issues for Vietnam in this area. 10 Thirdly, to draw the key lessons for Vietnam today in combining harmoniously freedom with ethical responsibility in science and technology. Thus, it can be said that the thesis topic is the inheritance of the results of the previous theoretical researches on the issues of freedom and responsibility in science and technology. However, the theoretical and practical gaps in those studies and the importance of contributing to the improvement of the gap in Vietnam in the process of industrialization and modernization have inspired me to choose the subject "The issue of freedom and ethical responsibility in science and technology and lessons learned for Vietnam nowadays" as a research topic in my thesis. Chapter 2 SOME GENERAL THEORETICAL ISSUES ON FREEDOM AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES 2.1. The concept of freedom and ethical responsibility 2.1.1. Conception of freedom Freedom is the realization of objective laws and forces the subject's activities to follow those laws in order to achieve their goals in the most effective and optimal way. Freedom is discussed in society, in the system of relationships between people. Freedom requires mankind to create material values and spiritual values through which each individual expresses his or her full potential and inclination. 11 Freedom is expressed in a concentrated and practical way in the basic human rights. Freedom means that human beings have rights - these rights are inviolable. The development and abundance of rights, as well as the social guarantees for the exercise of those rights, have become the criterion of free development and social progress. 2.1.2. The concept of responsibility, ethical responsibility - Concept of responsibility Responsibility is something that people must do and can not avoid. Therefore, it is also the ability of people to be aware of the results of their activities, and at the same time, the attitude of people in the performance of obligations imposed by society. This attitude reflects the level of fulfillment of moral obligation and the rule of law. - Moral Responsibilities From a conceptual point of view, it is possible to understand the ethical responsibility as all the socially acceptable principles and norms, but not yet (or not need to be) required by law. As a result, people are self-adjusting their behaviors to suit the interests, happiness of others and social progress. Ethical responsibility is the most authentic form of responsibility. It is higher, and includes both legal liability. Because wherever human beings are, in whichever working and living environment, the moral duty, the demand of the conscience itself, motivates the individual to fulfill his assigned tasks and fulfilled the required legal liability. At the same time, they are entitled to enjoy the material and spiritual interests that have been promulgated by the State and the socio-political mass organizations. 12 2.1.3. The relationship between freedom and ethical responsibility Freedom and responsibility are rich and varied. But their difference is an integral and complementary relationship. There can be no responsibility without freedom of choice and activity, nor can there be pure freedom without regard to responsibility for others, to society. Only free and responsible individuals can realize their full potential in social action and only then open up their full potential. 2.2. Freedom, ethical responsibility in science and technology 2.2.1. The concept of scientific and technological activities Scientific and technological activities are activities of scientific research, experimental research and development, technology development, application of technologies and services in science and technology, promotion of inventions and other creative activities to develop science and technology. 2.2.2. Definition of freedom in scientific and technological activities Freedom in scientific and technological activities is the ability of subjects operating in the field of science and technology to understand the permitted boundaries and ethical boundaries so that such subjects can operate with the goal for human beings, for the development of the whole of humanity. Thus, freedom in scientific and technological activity is not merely a mental condition - the free state of scientists in scientific research and application, but rather the process by which Scientists and researchers have found the correct laws of movement and development of things and phenomena in order to develop solutions (invention) for practical application. That is, the scientific discoveries and inventions of scientists that are applied in practice and are 13 practically tested for their correctness are the true freedom of scientific and technological activities. 2.2.3. The concept of ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities Ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities can be understood as attitudes, behaviors and perceptions of subjects operating in this field. It is the ethical responsibility of the scientist in the course of his scientific research. It is the ethical responsibility of the subjects in applying the results of scientific research into the realities of life. The lack of responsibility is most apparent in the behavior of enterprises using outdated scientific and technological products that no longer conform to the standard of living of human beings to maintain and develop production, in order to benefit themselves, which cause the negative consequences for society. After the corporate responsibility, it is necessary to note the responsibility of the state in the management of scientific and technological activities. 2.3. The relationship between ethics and science and technology The relationship between morality and science is one of the most important aspects of human life. The more developed the society, the more scientific achievements are achieved, the more human need ethics. The relationship between science and morality is the relationship between the true and the good. The ideal of science and the ideal of morality are united. The virtue (morality) embraces the truth (scientific truth) and in the truth embraces the good. True science can not be hostile to progressive morality. No genuine scientific invention does not bring joy and happiness to human. Scientific knowledge also helps the moral subject to know, choose, evaluate the 14 right moral values. In turn, it is moral awareness, especially moral ideal, that plays no small role in creating one of the driving forces of scientific development, of the quest for truth. In summary, in this chapter, the thesis author has focused on clarifying the concepts of freedom, responsibility, freedom in scientific and technological activities, ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities, as well as the relationship between morality and science and technology. Chapter 3 BASIC CONTENTS OF FREEDOM AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES 3.1. Freedom in scientific and technological activities 3.1.1. Expression of freedom in science and technology * Freedom in science and technology is evidenced by the fact that human discoveries and inventions are increasing. The great achievements of the modern scientific and technological revolution - the result of the great development in scientific and technological activities are excellent proofs, proving that scientists have been increasingly free to research and apply their scientific inventions and discoveries into reality, serving the needs of developing human life. The achievements of scientific and technological activities are present in all fields of study such as: electronic technology, information technology, bio-medical technology... 15 * Freedom in scientific and technological activities as human rights Development is both a consequence of freedom and a prerequisite for greater freedom. And, freedom has become a condition for the development of modern science and technology. Freedom in scientific and technological activities not only promotes the creativity of individuals and organizations but also promotes the overall strength from the existing ones, to create what is needed. Therefore, the society needs to create all conditions and allow scientists to freely study, being free to apply the results of scientific research to where, to what extent. In addition, each country has its own strategy for developing its own science and technology. 3.1.2. Limitations of freedom in science and technology * Negative consequences in science and technology are one of the limits of human freedom in this activity. Economic and technological development facilitates human development through increasingly fulfilling the material, health care, education, and entertainment needs... All of these make the choice of value as well as human activity more free and secured. However, science and technology, and above all the revolution in modern science and technology, and humanity is now entering the 4.0 technology revolution with many of its flaws, such as: polluted ecological environment, negative consequences of the Information Technology Revolution such as cybercrime, the unresolved consequences of Biomedical Technology, such as the result of nuclear technology, aerospace technology, new materials technology... As can be seen, the negative consequences and challenges from the achievements of science and technology are many. What has been mentioned here are just examples of some of today's typical technologies. That said, people 16 (including in Vietnam) have not been able to master the process of using technology to serve the economic development of the country. It is also the limit of human freedom in science and technology. * Responsibility, especially ethical responsibility, is also the boundary of freedom of choice in the research of scientists. Freedom in scientific research is the process by which scientists are aware of the objective laws in order to proactively and actively improve the development of society. As science and technology evolve, human freedoms are more likely to be elevated, but it is not merely in the field of perceiving things and phenomenon, but that follows a series of ethical problems being set out. Thus, in this field of activity, human freedom is limited freedom - relative freedom. 3.2. Ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities 3.2.1. Ethical responsibility of scientists in scientific research * The ethical responsibility of the scientist during researching process A morally responsible scientist is a scientist who raises a research question that meets ethical standards, in the process of experimentation or data collection, ethical responsibility requires the researcher to adhere to the ethical standards and rules such as respecting the right of participants in the study, and being honest such as not to change and manipulate data. During the publication of research results, the ethical responsibility of the researcher requires them to report fully and accurately the data collected and to respect the standards concerning the author of the journal article. Only then can science, as well as culture in scientific research, survive. 17 * The ethical responsibility of the scientist against the adverse consequences that their research indirectly causes The consequences of current scientific and technological activity on human life are not to be taken lightly. Are scientists responsible for the use and dissemination of their research results? This is a question that goes through the evolution of science and technology. 3.2.2. Ethical responsibility of individuals and organizations in applying technology into production and life This responsibility first of all requires organizations and individuals to prioritize investment in the production of new technologies, new equipment, environmentally friendly products, economical use of raw materials, to look for new materials in production, to limit waste to the environment. Firstly, the responsibility of the subjects of scientific and technological activities concerning the issues of ecological environment. Secondly, the ethical responsibility of organizations and individuals applying technology to production and life to the existence and development of human beings. The most typical illustration can be found in the field of biotechnology. In biotechnology the "green revolution" that took place in the 60s and 70s of the twentieth century saved many Asian and Latin American countries out of famine, especially in Brazil and India. In the beginning of the 1980s, humanity entered the second phase of this revolution, focusing on the development and breeding of new high yielding varieties, the construction of modern irrigation systems, 18 increasing crop rotation and finding out what new chemicals were available to ensure the growth of plants. However, right after that, humans suffered the consequences of environmental pollution and hygiene, food safety, which were resulted from genetic engineering and other technologies. The impact of genetically modified products on humans is unpredictable, and therefore is a major challenge for humans; Studies in the area of cloning will be at risk of being abused for inhumane purposes. In summary, in this chapter, the author focuses on the basic contents of the issue of freedom and ethical responsibility in science and technology. Answering the question: What is the expression of freedom in science and technology? What is the ethical responsibility of the subjects operating in the science and technology field? Chapter 4 FREEDOM AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES: SOME ISSUES SET OUT AND LESSONS LEARNED FOR VIETNAM NOWADAYS 4.1. Some issues of freedom and ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities set out nowadays 4.1.1. Issues set out for organizations and individuals involved in research and application of science and technology Firstly, freedom and ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities pose the problem of the limits of scientific and technological innovation. 19 Secondly, freedom and ethical responsibility in scientific and technological activities raise the issue on ethical foundations of scientific and technological activities. 4.1.2. The issue set out for the subjects managing scientific and technological activities Firstly, the problem of fraud in scientific research tends to increase. The problem is that the managing subjects at all levels, from the grassroots to the central state, must prevent and cope with the forms of fraud in scientific activities so effectively that the science really develops and benefits the society and brightens the personality of the scientist? Secondly, the intellectual property platform in scientific and technological activities is incomplete, inconsistent and unstable. Thirdly, to ensure the practice of true democracy in science and technology. Fourthly, the legal management and coordination of scientific and technological activities are lacking and weak, inconsistent and incomprehensible. 4.2. Lessons learned for organizations and individuals involved in research and application of science and technology 4.2.1. Organizations and individuals engaged in scientific and technological research and application should clearly define the limits of scientific and technological creations Determining the threshold of freedom in scientific creativity is essential because it will determine the direction of research results. Freedom in the creation of science and technology is the "mastering" of 20 their creativity in the positive aspects. Organizations and individuals, when participating in scientific and technological activities, must make a clear choice that human beings master science and technology, not vice versa. 4.2.2. Organizations and individuals engaged in scientific and technological research and application should be well aware of the moral foundations of scientific