Metodo

International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Series | Book | Chapter

211390

From science wars to science worries

some reflections on the scientific conquest of reality

Johannes Roggenhofer

pp. 293-305

Abstract

The Science Wars are taken to have more significance than just that of exposing unbecoming metaphors. The relation between science, reality, and social practice is seen as the core problem of the debate. Neither relativism nor realism have come up with satisfactory solutions to the problem. It is argued that science has a special relation to reality, making its results partially independent of social practice. This relation isolates the part of reality it investigates, thereby constituting this part as non-intentional nature. Which phenomena belong to the domain of science in the end is a matter of social acceptance and not of scientific discovery. Science cannot claim to be the ultimate judge of reality in general. It is a particular generator of knowledge and orientation besides others like the humanities, art, or religion which have their own creative forces.

Publication details

Published in:

Carrier Martin, Roggenhofer Johannes, Küppers Günter, Blanchard Philippe (2004) Knowledge and the world: challenges beyond the science wars. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 293-305

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-08129-7_14

Full citation:

Roggenhofer Johannes (2004) „From science wars to science worries: some reflections on the scientific conquest of reality“, In: M. Carrier, J. Roggenhofer, G. Küppers & P. Blanchard (eds.), Knowledge and the world, Dordrecht, Springer, 293–305.