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SUMMARY:A new way to defend the value free ideal for science - Mike Stuart
  (LSE)
DTSTART:20180516T120000Z
DTEND:20180516T133000Z
UID:TALK105700@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:31287
DESCRIPTION:Philosophers of science debate whether a value-free ideal can 
 or should \nbe maintained for scientific activity. But actual scientific a
 ctivity \n(like all organized human activity) will not easily confirm clai
 ms about \nhow it can or should function. When faced with the task of unde
 rstanding \ncomplex systems\, scientists often create simplified models. W
 e examine \nwhat happens to the debate if we recast philosophers as imagin
 atively \nsimplifying scientific activity by devising models of it. Some m
 odels \nmight focus on the influence of epistemic values by ignoring all \
 nnon-epistemic values. Some might do the opposite. And such models might \
 nfruitfully be combined. Thus recast\, some disagreements between \nphilos
 ophers evaporate\, as different models explain different aspects of \nthe 
 same system of activity. Remaining disagreements exist\, but these \nconce
 rn the coherence and usefulness of models\, which are more fruitful \nsort
 s of disagreement. Finally\, two new ways to understand the value \nfree i
 deal are identified\, both of which may be plausible when \nconsidered in 
 weaker forms.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 2\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
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