The value-free ideal in science has been criticised as both unattainable and undesirable. We argue that it can be defended as a practical principle guiding scientific research even if the unattainability and undesirability of a value-free end-state are granted. If a goal is unattainable, then one can separate the desirability of accomplishing the goal from the desirability of pursuing it. We articulate a novel value-free ideal, which holds that scientists should act as if science should be value-free, and we argue that even if a purely value-free science is undesirable, this value-free ideal is desirable to pursue.

中文翻译：

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西西弗斯科学：为什么价值自由值得追求

科学中无价值的理想被批评为既无法实现又不可取。我们认为，即使承认价值中立的最终状态是无法实现和不可取的，它也可以被捍卫为指导科学研究的实用原则。如果某个目标无法实现，那么人们可以将实现该目标的愿望与追求该目标的愿望分开。我们阐明了一种新颖的价值中立的理想，它认为科学家应该表现得好像科学应该是价值中立的，并且我们认为，即使纯粹的价值中立的科学是不可取的，这种价值中立的理想也是值得追求的。