Is Science Value Free?
Values and Scientific Understanding
Published on 23. June 2005
300 pages
978-1-134-61975-7 (ISBN)
Description
Exploring the role of values in scientific inquiry, Hugh Lacey examines the nature and meaning of values, and looks at challenges to the view, posed by postmodernists, feminists, radical ecologists, Third-World advocates and religious fundamentalists, that science is value free. He also focuses on discussions of 'development', especially in Third World countries. This paperback edition includes a new preface.
Reviews / Votes
'Lacey's book must be considered a major contribution and should be of interest to all philosophers of science and others interested in the role of values in supposed rational thought.' - Stephen Mumford, Mind'Lacey's arguments are readily accessible and do not require a specialist's knowledge - the book can easily serve as an introduction to the topical and controversial question of the role of values in scientific inquiry as well as challenging taken-for-granted positions of specialists.' - James Sauer, Research in Philosophy and Technology
'Adds richness to the terms of the debate and intriguing philosophical framework for the problems that arise ... This work will raise important questions for anyone who has wondered, not whether science currently is value-free, but what such an ideal would be and whether the idea is defensible.' - Heather Douglas, Philosophy of Science
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
File size
2,14 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-134-61975-7 (9781134619757)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
05/2004
1st Edition
Routledge
€85.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Book
06/1999
1st Edition
Routledge
€206.40
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Hugh Lacey is Professor of Philosophy at Swarthmore College. He is also the co-author (with Barry Schwartz) of Behaviourism, Science and Human Nature.
Content
1 Introduction: the idea that science is value free 2 Values 3 Cognitive values 4 Science as value free: provisional theses 5 Scientific understanding 6 The control of nature 7 Kuhn: scientific activity in different 'worlds' 8 A "grassroots empowerment" approach 9 A feminist approach 10 Science as value free: revised theses 11 Conclusion
