Rational Reconstructions of Science

1
Rational Reconstructions of Science

• Hempel and Popper
• attempt to reconstruct the logic underlying the
  work of scientists, not to describe how
  scientists work everyday
• normative, not descriptive, projectassumes a
  sharp distinction between fact and value

2
Rational Reconstruction, continued

• Kuhn and Keller both reject this project and the
  sharp fact/value distinction

3
Kuhn, Structure of Scientific Revolutions

• Science is characterized by periods of normal
  science punctuated by revolutionary periods.
• Scientific change is not rational nor necessarily
  progressive.

4
Normal Science

• periods characterized by attempts to follow and
  fill out a unifying paradigm, without much
  attention paid to anomalies
• cumulative
• good at constructing anomalies, and thus bringing
  about revolutionary period

5
Paradigm

• unquestioned theory or set of beliefs that forms
  the framework within which the science moves
  forward.
• resistant to change because of both cognitive
  features about humans and institutional features
  of science.

6
Revolutionary Periods

• brought about by accumulation of anomalies
• .involveslearning to see nature in a different
  way. (111)
• Discovery is a complex event that involves
  recognizing both that something is and what it
  is. (113)

7
Revolution, continued

• Example the discovery of oxygen
• requires a new theory that makes the anomaly fit
  in a way that scientists see as opening up a new
  line of research, a new normal science
• What determines which new paradigm will be chosen
  by the scientific community?

8
Keller, Feminism and Science

• Liberal feminist critiques of science--androcentri
  sm and sexism.
• Androcentrism the assumption that men and/or
  maleness is the norm and women and/or femaleness
  a deviation from the norm,
• Sexism the claim that women/female is inferior
  to men/male.

9
Liberal Critique of Science

• 1. science is sexist in employment practices
• 2. science is androcentric in its choice and
  definition of problems
• 3. science is male-biased in interpretation of
  results

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Keller, continued

• Keller believes that the liberal critique does
  not go far enough, and that a more radical
  critique holds the potential for better science.

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Radical Feminist Critique of Science

• Questions the assumptions of objectivity and
  rationality underlying the scientific enterprise.
• Objectivity has traditionally been linked
  ideologically with domination.
• Another possible metaphor for understanding
  objectivity is conversation.

12
Conversational Metaphor for Objectivity

• metaphors of domination and conversation are the
  dual themes in science
• all good scientists have engaged in activity that
  might be characterized in either way
• attention to the conversational model could lead
  to additional scientific progress.