Helen longino early photo

Helen Longino

By megonzgal88

  • Birth and Education

    Helen Elizabeth Longino was born on July 13, 1944. Longino is now 77 who is an American born philosopher of science. She has an extensive background in the subject of philosophy of science. Longino received her B.A. in English Literature in 1966, her M.A. in Philosophy in 1967, and her PhD in 1973. She started teaching at various universities before joining the philosophy department at Stanford University. In between her teachings, Longino was active in women's studies and movement.

  • Philosophical Work

    Helen Longino discussed social indifferences of scientific knowledge and how it impacts cognitive values. Longino did not argue in regard to the female perspective but argued "doing epistemology as a feminist". She wrote her first book in 1990, "Science as Social Knowledge", in which she outlined how social values impact a human's view on science and how it guides them through their scientific journey. Longino publishes multiple books though out her philosophical work.

  • Philosophical Work Part II

    "One of Helen Longino’s most significant contributions to Philosophy of Science is her advocacy of the sociality of scientific knowledge" (Zhang, 2022). Throughout her work in philosophy, she explains how knowledge is shaped by circumstances and beliefs. She explains how researchers narrate data based on his or her interpretations, which can be impacted by different backgrounds. She additionally presented and analyzed the male/female accounts of evolution and its impact on science.

  • Philosophical Work Part III

    Helen Longino advocates for the inclusion of feminist values and how they challenge science differently. As she became more involved in her work, she saw how many women scientists were stereotyped as inferior. She presents a feminist perspective and fights to explain that women also offer scientific knowledge.
    Longino taught and researched subjects such as Philosophy of Science, Social epistemology, and feminist philosophy. In 2016, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.