Recent work in philosophy of science has led to an emerging consensus that science is not value-free, and that values can impact the research process in positive and negative ways. Values may contribute to science’s epistemic and social goals, but they can also have a detrimental effect thereon; i.e., they can introduce a certain bias into research results. While it is well-known that biases impact scientific research results, we have a less clear understanding of the different types of biases, their mechanisms, and their scope. These biases and their effects will be explored from a philosophy-of-science perspective during our workshop at Leibniz University Hannover from 30 May until 1 June 2024.
The workshop "Biasing Mechanisms in Scientific Research" is a cooperation between SOCRATES and the DFG-funded project "A Philosophical Approach to Biasing Mechanisms in Scientific Research" led by Prof. Torsten Wilholt and Prof. Manuela Fernández Pinto (Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá).