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About Us |
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We are members of the Department of History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) at the University of Pittsburgh. We operate a lab facility that we call HPSLAB. More information about the activities related to HPSLAB can be found in our newsletters. The HPS mission is as follows. The study of the history and philosophy of science affords a broad appreciation of science, its nature and fundamentals, its origins and its place in modern politics, culture, and society. In the history of science, traditional historical methods are used to develop an understanding of how the sciences originated, how they were practiced, how they developed, and how they related to their intellectual and social contexts. In philosophy of science, the sciences themselves are brought under philosophical scrutiny. We investigate the nature of science in general; what distinguishes scientific activity; how theories explain; how they are confirmed; whether they should be read literally; and the moral dilemmas raised by the sciences. We also investigate the fundamental content of individual sciences, and how it bears on the ancient philosophical questions: what is the nature of space, time, and matter; what is life; and what is thought. History and philosophy of science is distinctive in integrating these two areas of study, with investigations in each area often closely interwoven. At the HPSLAB we contribute the experimental dimension to the HPS mission, which we cultivate while doing research and providing teaching and training for our graduate students. Paolo Palmieri Director
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To contact us: |
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Department of History and Philosophy of Science University of Pittsburgh 1017 Cathedral of Learning Pittsburgh, PA 15260 USA Phone: 412-624-5881 Fax: 412-624-6825 E-mail: pap7@pitt.edu |
