Responsabilidade ética e social na produção e divulgação de livros eletrônicos

Abstract

The processes of knowledge production and the consequent scientific communication are closely linked to the actions and researches developed by the researchers, who must act based on principles of social responsibility, maintaining ethical behavior regarding the production and the scientific dissemination, independently of the physical medium containing the information in circulation – printed or electronic. While acknowledging the advancement of information and communication technologies (ICT) as well as the Open Access Movement as important elements for expanding information, the paper aims to discuss the principles of ethical and social responsibility in scientific communication, with emphasis on production and dissemination via new resources, especially electronic books or e-books. The authors adopt qualitative, descriptive, bibliographic and documentary research about the central topics: scientific communication: concept and modalities; scientific divulgation; ethical and social responsibility, and, finally, e-books. The methodological guidelines allow us to infer that electronic books, in broad terms, favor greater reach both for the production of knowledge and for scientific communication in its different aspects. In addition, they entail reduction of production and distribution costs; accelerate the publishing of publications; provide the fulfillment of their social role in cyberspace, which includes the systematic practice of ethical and social responsibility.