Science is both a body of knowledge and a process, which is involved in decision-making, but does not make choices itself. Any event that science is involved in is a direct result of the person making the decision. Although this is fact, there is an argument that science can be malevolent because of the violent uses of its abilities. For example, Walter White from "Breaking Bad" was a high school chemistry teacher who began manufacturing crystal meth. Although science gave him the knowledge to produce the drug, it was his decision alone. Walter's decision seems evil in the short-term, but has long-term justification, which makes it understandable – maybe even moral. The use of science for short-term benefit is an idea that people respect, but science that is ethically controversial can be justified by its conclusions in the long-term. .
Many scientific controversies have been occurring recently because of the advances that have been made in the past century, but have there always been ethical issues with science? The answer is yes; throughout history, scientific evidence has always conflicted with popular belief or morals. Before the Earth was proven to be a spherical object, most people believed that it was flat, or otherwise not round. Ancient Greece, having superior astronomy to any other civilization at the time, is credited with first proving the Earth to be a sphere. Yet, many Europeans despised this idea since the bible speaks of the "four corners of earth," and they all knew that to deny the "infallible word of God" was heresy. European scientists and astronomers were usually considered immoral because their breakthroughs and discoveries opposed religious belief. Since most of the world relied on theology, and even implemented theocracies, to guide their lives, it is reasonable that people would dislike scientists. Yet, the realization that the Earth is a sphere helped with travel, both intra- and extra-terrestrially.
