SOCI325 Sociology of Science Agenda 1. Notes on last Thursdays - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

SOCI325 Sociology of Science

Agenda

• 1. Notes on last Thursday’s group discussion

assignment

• 2. Feminist epistemology: Standpoint theory and

Feminist empiricism

• 3. Instructions for Group Discussion

General comments on Thursday’s group paper

• Internal/External distinction
• Bloor’s Impartiality vs. Merton’s disinterestedness
• Scientific Realism
• Bloor: Knowledge as collectively endorsed belief

Feminist epistemology

ØFeminism, Science, and Epistemology: What’s the connection? ØTwo broad rival theories in feminist epistemology

• Feminist Standpoint Theory
• Feminist Empiricism

Feminist standpoint theory

ØAll knowledge fundamentally is situated and partial. There is no such thing as aperspectival knowledge.

• This is standpoint theory’s response to the widespread recognition among

feminists that the rejection of partial perspective in science is a mask for androcentric bias.

• As activists, relativism is not acceptable. Objectivity as partial perspective. ->

Problem: how do we still retain a sense of asymmetry (objective vs. biased, rational vs. irrational) necessary for feminist advocacy?

ØFeminist advocacy based on the thesis of epistemic advantage

• “Thesis of epistemic advantage” – women are in a better position to know

about the world then men, at least in certain areas of inquiry.

• Marxist Roots (“standpoint” from György Lukács)
• All contemporary arguments based on power relationships
• The “Superset” argument

Feminist Empiricism

ØMore limited claims about the situatedness of knowledge

• Instead of responding to the “masking” problem by defining objectivity

as essentially partial, FE seeks to save a non-partial notion of objectivity

• Cross-community shared values and standards for rational

communication.

• Weber: value-freedom vs. value-neutrality.
• Still, feminists empiricists do not shy away from criticizing some existing

scientific norms usually considered universal as deceptively androcentric.

ØFeminist advocacy based on the complementarity between groups

• Different perspectives come with biases & blind spots – when diverse

groups openly communicate, science will become more capable of identifying its shortcomings.

• The inclusion of women (or other minority groups) can help white-male

dominated mainstream science identify its blind spots.

I’m not a feminist: why should I be interested?

ØThe logic that sustains contemporary feminist epistemology has little to do with women or gender. It is about relationships of power. ØPostcolonialism, Indigenous studies, Critical Race Theory ….

Discussion

Small-group discussions:

• Choose a new facilitator who will keep the discussion focused and

make sure everyone is able to participate.

• Choose a new secretary who will take notes and summarize the

group’s responses for submission.

• Download today’s discussion questions (Microsoft Word format) from

the link on the syllabus. Make a copy and upload to MyCourses.

https://soci325.netlify.com/discussion_questions/05.02.docx

Notes: ⦙ Try to respond to (almost) all of the questions. ⦙ Avoid terse, bullet-point style. ⦙ Refer directly to the text. ⦙ Quality over quantity.

Next Class

• Scientific Realism

Required Reading: Hacking (1983), What is scientific realism?