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Science and the Common Good: Thoughts on Philip Kitcher's Science, Truth, and Democracy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Helen E. Longino
Helen E. Longino*
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota
*
† Send requests for reprints to the author, Philosophy Department, 831 Heller Hall, 271 19th Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55455; hlongino@umn.edu.
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Abstract

In Science, Truth, and Democracy, Philip Kitcher develops the notion of well-ordered science: scientific inquiry whose research agenda and applications (but not methods) are subject to public control guided by democratic deliberation. Kitcher's primary departure from his earlier views involves rejecting the idea that there is any single standard of scientific significance. The context-dependence of scientific significance opens up many normative issues to philosophical investigation and to resolution through democratic processes. Although some readers will feel Kitcher has not moved far enough from earlier epistemological positions, the book does represent an important addition to literature on science, society, and values.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 69 , Issue 4 , December 2002 , pp. 560 - 568
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

‡

I thank Valerie Miner for constructive comments.

References

Giere, Ronald (1999), Science Without Laws. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Kitcher, Philip (1993), The Advancement of Science. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Lacey, Hugh (1999), Is Science Value-Free? New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Tiles, Mary, and Oberdiek, Hans (1999), Living in a Technological Culture. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar