Question: What is the Oath of the Scientist?
Answer: In the young adult book George's Secret Key to the Universe, authors Lucy and Stephen Hawking introduce the "Oath of the Scientist." Before the main character, George Greenby, becomes the second youngest member of the Order of Scientific Inquiry for the Good of Humanity (and is allowed to have any control over the powerful computer, Cosmos) he must recite the oath:
I really like the Oath of the Scientist, and found it one of the most compelling elements of the storyling ... one which I wish the authors had played up more overtly (though, thematically, the concepts inherent in the oath are the driving forces of the novel).Oath of the Scientist
I swear to use my scientific knowledge for the good of Humanity. I promise never to harm any person in my search for enlightenment.I shall be courageous and careful in my quest for greater knowledge about the mysteries that surround us. I shall not use scientific knowledge for my own personal gain or give it to those who seek to destroy the wonderful planet on which we live.
If I break this oath, may the beauty and wonder of the Universe forever remain hidden from me.
