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Introduction: Epistemic Virtues in the Sciences and the Humanities

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Epistemic Virtues in the Sciences and the Humanities

Part of the book series: Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science ((BSPS,volume 321))

Abstract

Epistemic virtues offer a promising angle for studying interaction between fields of research conventionally classified under the “sciences” and the “humanities.” Given that virtues like objectivity, honesty, and accuracy are not confined to specific disciplines, they allow for comparative historical research between scientific fields as well as for histories of transfer, borrowing, and adaptation between disciplines. Such research, however, requires ample attention to what scientists in specific settings understood epistemic virtues to mean. Although the adjective refers to their role in facilitating the pursuit of epistemic aims (knowledge and understanding of reality), epistemic virtues are often imbued with moral, social, religious, and/or political meaning. If virtues specify the character traits marking a “scientific self,” then scientific selfhood is never exclusively defined in epistemic terms.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In a similar vein, Tai and van Dongen (2016) use Anton Pannekoek’s epistemic virtues to connect his Marxism and astronomy – two fields of activity that Pannekoek himself always argued to be entirely separate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ITFA, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jeroen van Dongen

  2. Institute for History, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Herman Paul

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  1. Jeroen van Dongen
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  2. Herman Paul
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. ITFA, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jeroen van Dongen

  2. Institute for History, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

    Herman Paul

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van Dongen, J., Paul, H. (2017). Introduction: Epistemic Virtues in the Sciences and the Humanities. In: van Dongen, J., Paul, H. (eds) Epistemic Virtues in the Sciences and the Humanities. Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science, vol 321. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48893-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48893-6_1

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