Conference Theme
Many researchers in history of science and in philosophy of science now acknowledge that it is possible and desirable to integrate the disciplines of history and philosophy of science. However, the meta-philosophical question, “What is Integrated HPS?”, has been a recurrent theme of discussion. It has become clear that the search for a unified methodology of history and philosophy of science is fraught with difficulties. There is no stable consensus on how the field should be shaped in terms of its methods. Instead, it appears that there are multiple ways in which history and philosophy can fruitfully be brought together.
Recent scholarship in history and especially in philosophy of science has shown that scientific practice is best be characterized as a pluralistic endeavor. The field of integrated history and philosophy of science (HPS) also needs a framework for the analysis of the full sweep of science in past and present, combining philosophical analysis and historical evaluation of science in diverse ways. But if we want to take seriously that integrated history and philosophy of science must be flexible to deal with multifaceted, complex subject matter, attempts to define a unified “Integrated HPS” methodology and impose it on the emerging field will be counter-productive. We therefore propose a new understanding of the field. Instead of specifying a “methodology of integrated HPS,” the field could pursue what Fujimura (1996) calls “doable problems”, using multiple approaches to deal with them.
The conference discussion will investigate a problem-centered and pluralistic methodology for integrated HPS that benefits from the diverse approaches emerging in recent HPS scholarship.
Many researchers in history of science and in philosophy of science now acknowledge that it is possible and desirable to integrate the disciplines of history and philosophy of science. However, the meta-philosophical question, “What is Integrated HPS?”, has been a recurrent theme of discussion. It has become clear that the search for a unified methodology of history and philosophy of science is fraught with difficulties. There is no stable consensus on how the field should be shaped in terms of its methods. Instead, it appears that there are multiple ways in which history and philosophy can fruitfully be brought together.
Recent scholarship in history and especially in philosophy of science has shown that scientific practice is best be characterized as a pluralistic endeavor. The field of integrated history and philosophy of science (HPS) also needs a framework for the analysis of the full sweep of science in past and present, combining philosophical analysis and historical evaluation of science in diverse ways. But if we want to take seriously that integrated history and philosophy of science must be flexible to deal with multifaceted, complex subject matter, attempts to define a unified “Integrated HPS” methodology and impose it on the emerging field will be counter-productive. We therefore propose a new understanding of the field. Instead of specifying a “methodology of integrated HPS,” the field could pursue what Fujimura (1996) calls “doable problems”, using multiple approaches to deal with them.
The conference discussion will investigate a problem-centered and pluralistic methodology for integrated HPS that benefits from the diverse approaches emerging in recent HPS scholarship.
National Science Foundation Grant Project
This conference is supported by National Science Foundation Grant #480225. The grant funds the online proceedings.
The project will culminate in a dynamic, open-access repository of papers and posters presented at Integrated HPS 8, and a website providing a searchable, online, open access database of these papers along with others presented at past Integrated History and Philosophy of Science conferences.
The project will culminate in a dynamic, open-access repository of papers and posters presented at Integrated HPS 8, and a website providing a searchable, online, open access database of these papers along with others presented at past Integrated History and Philosophy of Science conferences.
