Abstract

There has been increasing interest in the ‘values and science’ literature on the ways that organizations and institutions mediate and promote the influences of values in scientific research. The present paper builds on this recent focus by exploring the value-laden nature of the standards (e.g., rules, norms, guidelines) used to guide research. The paper examines previous scholarship on the epistemic and ethical benefits and disadvantages associated with standardization, thereby highlighting the importance of analyzing the conditions under which specific kinds of standardization are most likely to be justifiable. It argues that the benefits of standardization are particularly salient during ‘troubled times’ like the present, when there are significant political and economic forces promoting the manipulation of science for desired ends. Finally, drawing on examples from the field of toxicology, the paper suggests a set of principles for pursuing standardization in ways that take advantage of its epistemic and ethical benefits while lessening its weaknesses.