POLITICAL EPISTEMOLOGY

This class introduces political epistemology as a critical reflection on science and scientific culture at the intersection of various disciplinary lines of inquiry, which include:
a. the philosophy of science;
b. the history and sociology of science;
c. political theory.

This year’s class on political epistemology is devoted to the following topics:
1. The collective character of knowledge
2. and the cultural politics of science in history
based on the three-lingual (German-English-Italian) close reading of Ludwig Fleck’s classic in historical epistemology, Entstehung und Entwicklung einer wissenschaftlichen Tatsache [Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact] (1935).

• To introduce students to research in political epistemology;
• To explore the ways to connect the philosophy of science with the history of science;
• To address a crucial topic of political epistemology, namely the problems of science’s collective character and the politics of science;
• To become capable of reflecting of and discussing a philosophical classic in historical epistemology and critically interpret them in the light of political-theoretical concerns.

• Enthusiasm and readiness to engage with challenging historical and philosophical discussions and readings;
• Knowledge of English in order to read the materials and participate in the discussion
• Some knowledge of German and Italian would be very useful but is not necessary.

The meetings will have a seminar-like character, alternating frontal teaching and sources-based discussion.
Students will be introduced to the main problems of political epistemology, such as the political aprioris of science, the connection of science and power, knowledge property, knowledge economy, interests and knowledge, ideology and technocracy, science collectivism, etc.

Fleck’s classic in cultural historical epistemology (Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact) will be our focus. We will closely read this text in its entirety and analyze concepts, approaches and theses. In particular, we will compare various editions to address the problem of translating philosophical concepts. The problem of knowledge collectivism, as was thematized by Fleck in terms of Styles of thought and Thought collectives, will be at the center of this year’s discussion.

The students are expected to read in advance the texts that constitute the focus of the various classes according to the course calendar.

Three editions of Fleck’s classic for a comparative reading:

Ludwik Fleck, Entstehung und Entwicklung einer wissenschaftlichen Tatsache: Einführung
in die Lehre vom Denkstil und Denkkollektiv (Frankfurt/Main: Suhrkamp 2012 [1935])

Engl. transl., Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact, ed. Thaddeus J. Trenn and Robert K. Merton (Chicago/London, 1979).

Ital. transl., Genesi e sviluppo di un fatto scientifico, transl. Maria Leonardi and Stefano Poggi (Bologna: Il Mulino, 1983).

Additional non-mandatory literature:
Pietro Daniel Omodeo, Political Epistemology: The Problem of Ideology in Science Studies (Dordrecht: Springer, 2019).
Further secondary literature will be made available during the classes or through Moodle.

Active participation to the classes and final written assignment, which will be evaluated and eventually discussed orally.

• Frontal teaching, in which the professor will introduce students to the topics of the course;
• and a dialogic seminar-like part, in which students will interact with their classmates and the professor on the basis of the texts they have been assigned and they have to read in preparation for the lessons.

Italiano

Ca’ Foscari applica la Legge Italiana (Legge 17/1999; Legge 170/2010) per i servizi di supporto e di accomodamento disponibili agli studenti con disabilità o con disturbi specifici dell’apprendimento. Se hai una disabilità motoria, visiva, dell’udito o altre disabilità (Legge 17/1999) o un disturbo specifico dell’apprendimento (Legge 170/2010) e richiedi supporto (assistenza in aula, ausili tecnologici per lo svolgimento di esami o esami individualizzati, materiale in formato accessibile, recupero appunti, tutorato specialistico a supporto dello studio, interpreti o altro) contatta l’ufficio Disabilità e DSA disabilita@unive.it.

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