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Introducting Helen Longino
American scientist and philosopher Helen Longino was born 13 July, 1944. She is best known for her contributions to the philosophy of science through feminist and social epistemology, dealing with perspectives, pluralities, and the role of women in the realm of scientific exploration. Longino received her B.A. in literature, her M.A. in philosophy, and her PhD using the dissertation entitled "Inference and Scientific Discovery". -
Early Work and Positions
Dr. Longino began her teaching career shortly after receiving her PhD from John Hopkins University. Her first few positions as a philosophy professor were at several institutions in the United States, the longest being from 1975 to 1990 at Mills University.
During this time, Dr. Longino was an incredibly ambitious ambassador of women's rights, and was the first to establish Women's Studies curriculums during her long teaching career. -
Contributions to the Philosophy of Science (2005-Present)
Dr. Longino has contributed to the philosophy of science during her time as a professor is discussing how our human perspectives influence the ways in which we interpret evidence in scientific studies and experimentation. In her book Science as Social Knowledge (written in 1990), Dr. Longino states that the observations of scientists depend heavily on social values and worldview. (cont. on next entry) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=631gObE7ctA -
Contributions to the Philosophy of Science (2005-Present) cont.
She goes on to argue that the only way to have credible evidence that proves or disproves a hypothesis is by having a diverse pool of observers/scientists interpreting the data. If this is not done, then the outcome of the experimentation cannot be regarded as "truth", and must be seen as an interpretation. (Longino, 2016) Longino, Helen (2016). "The Social Dimensions of Scientific Knowledge". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 9 October 2016.