Challenging or Reinforcing Social Prejudice?

Behavior genetics holds out the hope of unbiased study of the biological bases of human behavior. Without more rigorous reflection on behavioral concepts, however, behavior genetics will succeed only in reinforcing social biases. This point is illustrated with reference to studies on aggression, sexual orientation, and gender differences.

To watch Professor Longino's presentation, please see the "Google Video posting":http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3926548921438712173&hl=en

"Interaction: A Case for Ontological Pluralism"

This paper draws on the author's work in social epistemology and on comparative studies of sciences of human behavior to draw attention to the importance of interaction. Drawing further on recent and contemporary research in biology, she argues that interaction ought to be considered a distinct ontological category, not reducible to properties of its participants

Valores, heurística e política do conhecimento

There is a set of values, often called cognitive, epistemicor scientific, frequently called upon as informative of good scientifi c judgment when evidence runs out. By contrasting those values with an alternate set drawn from the work of feminist scientists, historians, and philosophers, it is possible to show how the reliance on these so-called scientific values can have problematic social consequences. The article reviews the differential social valence of the two sets of values, argues that neither should be viewed as truth conducive, and proposes that both belong to a (probably larger) pool of heuristics whose appropriateness will depend on features of the particular inquiry in which they are deployedHá um conjunto de valores, comumente denominados cognitivos, epistêmicos ou científi cos, que com frequência são considerados informativos do bom juízo científi co, quando a evidência se esgota. Contrastando esses valores com um conjunto alternativo, delineado no trabalho de cientistas, historiadoras e fi lósofas feministas, é possível mostrar como a dependência desses valores chamados científi cos tem consequências sociais problemáticas. O artigo examina a valencia social diferencial dos dois conjuntos de valores, argumenta que nenhum dos dois deve ser considerado como dando as condições de produ- ção da verdade e propõe que ambos pertencem a um coleção (provavelmente maior) de heurísticas cuja conveniência depende das características da investigação particular na qual são empregada

Naturalism? What Naturalism?

Naturalism is often defined by reference to what it is not. The non-naturalisms to which naturalism is contrasted are a heterogeneous bunch. And what it is important not to be is a function of the particular concerns of a philosophical culture at a particular time. Most recently naturalism was taken to be science-based analysis, reflecting a turn away from so-called armchair philosophizing. A survey of the sciences relevant to epistemology supports the pessimistic conclusion that none of them is ready to replace or even play a major role in informing philosophical epistemology. The lecture proposes that naturalism in epistemology takes empirical subjects as model cognitive agents, and that epistemic norms are best thought of as sedimented conventions rather than as transcendent rules

What's Social About Social Epistemology?

Much work performed under the banner of social epistemology still centers the problems of the individual cognitive agent. Drawing on work in history and philosophy of science this paper argues for a more thoroughgoing approach in social epistemology

Reflexiones filosóficas sobre la ciencia de laboratorio

Los filósofos de la ciencia han discrepado durante décadas sobre si las teorías revelan la estructura fundamental del universo o simplemente permiten predecir acontecimientos futuros a partir del comportamiento presente de los fenómenos. Helen Longino presenta una visión de la ciencia en la que el protagonismo lo adquieren las prácticas de laboratorio. Un escenario donde gracias a las tecnologías los fenómenos son aislados, troceados y recombinados para interpretar su funcionamiento. La construcción del conocimiento, afirma, se produce de forma social a través de la competencia o colaboración en las redes de laboratorios, donde el papel de las asunciones, valores y creencias es esencial.The philosophers of science have for decades debated whether theories reveal the fundamental structure of the universe or whether they simply allow the prediction of future events starting from the present behaviour of the phenomena. Helen Longino presents a vision of science in which laboratory practices occupy the centre of the stage. A scenario where current technologies are used to isolate, slice and recombine the phenomena in order to interpret their operations. The construction of scientific knowledge, she affirms, takes place socially through the competition or collaboration in nets of laboratories where the role of common assumptions, values and beliefs are central

What's Social About Social Epistemology?

Much work performed under the banner of social epistemology still centers the problems of the individual cognitive agent. Drawing on work in history and philosophy of science this paper argues for a more thoroughgoing approach in social epistemology