Date/Time
7/31/2025
12:00 AM - 12:00 AM Eastern
12:00 AM - 12:00 AM Eastern
Event Type(s)
Call for Papers (Enter the SUBMISSION DEADLINE as the date above. Submit EVENT separately.)
Event Description
EXTENDED CALL FOR PAPERS:
Towards A Comparative Philosophy of Science
Towards A Comparative Philosophy of Science
Special Issue of the Journal for General Philosophy of Science
Deadline: 31 July 2025 (extended)
Guest editors: Simon Lohse (Nijmegen) & Karim Bschir (St. Gallen)
Location
Call for Papers
Details
EXTENDED CALL FOR PAPERS:
Towards A Comparative Philosophy of Science
Special Issue of the Journal for General Philosophy of Science
Deadline: 31 July 2025 (extended)
Guest editors: Simon Lohse (Nijmegen) & Karim Bschir (St. Gallen)
In recent decades, philosophy of science has diversified considerably. This applies not only to the different ways in which philosophy of science is practiced, but also to its subject area. As a consequence, we are increasingly dealing with a fragmented field of different philosophies of the special sciences. Of course, there are still contributions in general philosophy of science, for example on the aims of science and the realism debate, but a large part of current debate takes place within the various sub-disciplines. This diversity offers a rich reservoir of opportunities for comparison between the different (philosophies of the) special sciences.
Although there already exist several contributions in the current literature that provide philosophical analyses across disciplines, there is as of yet no integrative debate. The special issue aims to change this by making explicit a latent current in the philosophy of science, thus initiating a new research theme. In contrast to specialized philosophies of the special sciences, comparative philosophy of science seeks to address and compare philosophically relevant questions and practices across scientific disciplines (including the social sciences and the humanities). A comparative approach to philosophy of science can generate important insights and promote progress in at least four dimensions:
Systematic comparison of epistemic and social-epistemic practices: A comparative approach provides us with a rich and nuanced picture of epistemic practices (such as classification, explanation, prediction), as well as social-epistemic practices (such as peer-review) in different disciplines. It enables the identification of relevant similarities and differences of these practices and the factors responsible for these. This may prevent exaggerations of (supposed) differences between disciplines – but also overgeneralisations. It can furthermore provide useful insights for classical topics of general philosophy of science, for example with regards to questions related to demarcation or scientific change, on which the comparative approach allows a fresh perspective.
Comparative conceptual analysis: A comparative approach enables a better understanding of scientific core concepts such as “objectivity”, “theory”, “model” or “reduction” by highlighting contrasts and analogies across fields. It can also contribute to a refined analysis of the function of these concepts in the different sciences.
Comparative metaphysics of science: Comparing the role of ontologies or the relationship between theorical claims and ontological commitments in different domains of science (e.g. physical and social sciences) may stimulate novel perspectives in ongoing debates on topics like realism, structuralism or individualism. An example of this a comparative approach to the metaphysics of science would be the analysis of the role of abstract entities in mathematics, literature and legal studies.
Insights into methodologies and practices in different philosophies of the special sciences: A comparative approach can create insights into philosophical practices. This may facilitate a better understanding of differences in doing philosophy of science by exploring why philosophy of science is sometimes considered more of a reflective meta-discipline and sometimes more as on a continuum with the respective special science.
Accordingly, contributions to these areas are particularly welcome in the special issue. However, other relations could also be explored. In general, a comparative approach can link strands of discussion that are normally hardly in contact with each other and thus enable new insights.
Possible questions to be addressed in the special issue include, but are not limited to:
- To what extent are concepts like “evidence”, “theory” or others instantiated or used differently in different fields and what does this imply?
- How do attempts to achieve certain epistemic aims (for example predictions) differ across disciplines?
- What is the common core of narrative explanations across the sciences?
- What can we learn from comparing ontological commitments of different fields?
- In what ways can comparative philosophy of science contribute to a general theory of science?
- What are methodological challenges or pitfalls of a comparative approach to philosophy of science?
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How can comparative philosophy of science inform teaching?
Please submit your contribution (max. 9.000 words, excluding references) to the Journal for General Philosophy of Science (https://www.editorialmanager.com/jgps/default.aspx). Make sure to select S.I.: Comparative Philosophy of Science as the article type. Submissions to this special issue will be reviewed in the same way as regular JGPS submissions.
For formatting and related questions, please refer to the author submission guidelines: https://link.springer.com/journal/10838/submission-guidelines Accepted articles from this CFP will be supplemented by selected invited contributions.
For further information, please get in touch with karim.bschir@unisg.ch or simon.lohse@ru.nl.
For formatting and related questions, please refer to the author submission guidelines: https://link.springer.com/journal/10838/submission-guidelines Accepted articles from this CFP will be supplemented by selected invited contributions.
For further information, please get in touch with karim.bschir@unisg.ch or simon.lohse@ru.nl.
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