Is there a value-free science?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3989/isegoria.2025.72.1676Keywords:
value-free science, epistemic values, non-epistemic values, scientific objectivity, justificationAbstract
The debate on the ideal of value-free science (in relation to non-epistemic values) has gained momentum in recent years, with an increasing number of papers being published. The discussion has arisen in different stages of the development of scientific research. It is widely agreed that in contexts not involved in the justification of hypotheses or research results, these values can play a role without undermining objectivity. The discussion has thus been limited to whether non-epistemic values influence contexts related to methodology and justification -or even if they should influence them. But even here it can be said that there is broad agreement that non-epistemic values cannot be taken as a reason to substitute for evidence or to increase the likelihood of a hypothesis. The debate is now sufficiently narrowed down for empirical studies to take the floor.
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Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Grant numbers PID2023-149342NB-I00
