The role of science in society is to increase the sum of knowledge on which progress can be made. If a scientist knowingly lets false information be published he is causing a disservice to society, harming progress.
Scientific papers are made public for a reason. The correct information should not be accessible only to a small circle of people in the know. If incorrect papers are out there, those who can correct them have a duty to do so.
>If a scientist knowingly lets false information be published he is causing a disservice to society, harming progress.
Often it's not so much false as empty or useless. Nevertheless, since all people in a community know the values of individual papers, and these are the same people 'making progress' in that field, I don't see how science is so much harmed. I agree the situation is kinda ridiculous, but it's not a "sky is falling" situation either.
>If incorrect papers are out there, those who can correct them have a duty to do so.
Sure. How much are you willing to pay me for me to prioritize this 'duty' over the literal hundreds of duties I already have at my lab?
Scientific papers are made public for a reason. The correct information should not be accessible only to a small circle of people in the know. If incorrect papers are out there, those who can correct them have a duty to do so.