Philosophical Foundations of Anthropology of Science

Author

Abstract

In the field of science studies, explaining the philosophical approach
to science, which was first started in the late nineteenth century and
was led to raise positivism, Popper’s falsification, and Lakatos’s
research programs in the twentieth century. In the second half of the
twentieth century, Sociology of scientific knowledge proposed social
explanations for science. In the latter approach, science is not simply a
set of propositions but a social activity, such as society of physicists,
chemists, etc. They saw the social characteristics have an important
impact on the emergence of scientific theories. From 70s, a new trend
in science studies emerged. In contrast to SSK which discriminates
science from society, this new approach defines science as a form of
life that should consequently be reflected on by anthropological
methods. This reflection is neither philosophical nor social, but tried
to provide a naturalistic descriptive approach. Such approach to
science is based on certain philosophical assumptions. This article
tries to both illustrate the anthropology of science approach as well as
its philosophical constitutions based on Wittgenstein’s philosophical
views.

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