In his article, Rafael Ziegler explains the extent to which the now common scientific publication practice has undesirable side effects. Based on his experiences with environmental ethics discourses in the context of Ott's professorship in Greifswald, he shows that good scientific practice is often lived in intensive context-specific debate. A judgement of scientific work that focuses on publications reinforces pathological traits, such as a flood of literature that is often not read, superficial reading with bogus references and feelings of exhaustion and shame in the scientific community. With regard to sustainability research, Ziegler advocates a return to the philosophical virtues of concrete public debate on normative issues, reciprocal and transdisciplinary cooperation and the cultivation of a deep sustainability culture.