In situations like this, people should take an empathetic stance. Sure, what Stapel did was wrong, and he deserves no sympathy, but everyone deserves empathy, e

In situations like this, people should take an empathetic stance. Sure, what Stapel did was wrong, and he deserves no sympathy, but everyone deserves empathy, even criminals. I'm not one who "blames the system" for malicious actions of individuals, as for anything to make sense, we must have free will. The system is not at fault, but it may be poorly constructed in such a way that individuals prone to abuse it can easily do so. Regardless of whether I keep my front door unlocked, if I'm robbed, the robber deserves legal punishment. But this doesn't mean I should keep the door unlocked. Ultimately, Stapel has paid for his actions. He's completely discredited as a scientist and researcher, and will never regain his reputation as an academic. But that's not the important question. What we must ask is why and how this got so far. How can we change the system so people like Stapel will not be able to abuse it?