Research into the applied philosophy of science was the topic of this year's spring conference of Leopoldina (the German National Academy of Sciences) in Halle an der Saale. The FAU Center for Applied Philosophy of Science and Key Qualifications ZIWIS was involved in organizing and moderating the conference (Prof. Dr. Max-Emanuel Geis and Dr. Michael Jungert). We spoke with ZIWIS Director Michael Jungert about the significance and relevance of the applied philosophy of science and about what is known as the Erlangen model.
What is the applied philosophy of science and why is it important at a university?
Michael Jungert: The applied philosophy of science explores the prerequisites and consequences of science in a very broad sense, from an epistemic, ethical, historical and societal point of view. It is an interdisciplinary area of research that merges various subjects, perspectives and methods, for example from history, sociology, law, philosophy, psychology, natural sciences, engineering sciences and many more besides. Its aim is to develop a critical and reflective understanding of science, which can be taken as the basis for comprehensive dialog with society. At institutes of higher education and especially at a university which offers the entire spectrum of academic disciplines such as FAU, the applied philosophy of science has an extremely important role to play as a cross-sectional research area. It brings together different ways of looking at science, facilitates interdisciplinary dialog and research and offers students from all subjects insights into aspects of science going beyond the subjects they are studying.
What relevance does the topic have for society?
Jungert: The significance it has for society is best illustrated on the basic of specific examples. During the Covid pandemic, it became apparent how fundamentally important it is that people across society understand how different sciences work, how scientists come to conclusions and why theories and models are created or changed. One of the central objectives of the applied philosophy of science is to communicate this understanding and a realistic picture of science that acknowledges and helps people understand the existence of revision, falsification, failure and error. Another example are pressing ethical and social issues arising from new technologies such as artificial Intelligence (AI). This is another area where the applied philosophy of science can take a systematic approach to perspectives from various areas such as AI, medicine, social and media ethics or from social sciences and psychology and establish links which can be used to create a mosaic of the implications across the whole of society, one piece at a time.
How has the applied philosophy of science developed over time and what are its current strategies?
Jungert: The applied philosophy of science is a dynamic research field that is currently developing at a rapid rate. This is reflected both in the increasing number of publications and in the establishing of key research priorities and institutions, and last but not least in conferences and workshops offered on the topic. FAU and its ZIWIS have a pioneering role in the field which we are continuing to expand with partnerships with other universities and academic institutions such as the universities of Bielefeld and Hannover and with the National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina. Our aim is to establish national and at a later stage international networks for linking and furthering research, teaching and scientific communication in the field of the applied philosophy of science.
What is meant by the Erlangen model in the context of the applied philosophy of science?
Jungert: The Erlangen model for the applied philosophy of science leans strongly on FAU's image of itself as a university which offers the entire spectrum of academic disciplines. We exploit the advantage we have of combining all major areas of science at one university, including a Faculty of Engineering and a Faculty of Medicine, and establish links between all faculties, teaching staff and students interested in questions relating to the applied philosophy of science. The fact that ZIWIS is a central academic institution that is not assigned to any individual subject or faculty makes it unique within Germany. This opens the door to many and varied options for combining perspectives or bringing together scientists from different areas for research and teaching. Crucial to the success of ZIWIS is the fact that it is supported by a group of members consisting of more than 40 FAU scientists from all faculties who bring new research questions from the faculties to our attention, and who are involved in publications and designing joint teaching units. The Erlangen model is also characterized by the wide range of seminars offered by ZIWIS on various topics relating to the philosophy of science open to all students at FAU as key qualifications. The fact that we research the applied philosophy of science itself and investigate its methods and potential is also typical of the Erlangen model. In 2020, three ZIWIS researchers were the first to publish a comprehensive academic publication on the topic of applied philosophy of science, focusing on interdisciplinary perspectives between philosophy and practice, titled "Wissenschaftsreflexion. Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven zwischen Philosophie und Praxis."
