I believe that ethics is holding back scientific innovation and progress. CMV.

Since the days of repressed knowledge due to the power-corrupt Church during the medievil ages where scientists were put to death for challenging god.

To the modern day where stem cell research, nanotechnology (just two areas off the top of my head) are having their progress slowed largely down by old views of ethics.

If we want to go on the extreme side, certain scientific research has been withheld or frowned upon due to it being "gross" or "inhuman". For example research which may harm some people for the benefit of others. Another example, and a stark one, is the abhorrence of the idea of cloning a human. I mean why can't we just do it? I would like to play devil's advocate and say something like were we to be slightly more callous and unemotional and use human test subjects, would not science progress faster?

EDIT: I understand that this is a sensitive issue, lets try and refrain from getting overly heated though. We can all agree that atrocities in the name of science are abhorrent, horrible.

Are there any examples of areas where you believe people are being unreasonable under the guise of ethics? (Something like stem cells)

ENOUGH RHETORICAL QUESTIONS I'm more than happy to hear a CASE for the horrible consequences that would arise from prioritizing of science over ethics.