Feminist philosophy of science

Some have questioned the objectivity of Feminist Philosophy of Science. Feminists however argue that rather than undermine objectivity, incorporating feminist values could help create more robust and sophisticated research methods which in turn may well produce better results.[5] By implementing feminist ideologies in science, this will eliminate the androcentric bias in the field of science, creating better research, better healthcare, and more opportunities for women in higher education and research fields.[8] Many feminist in this field try to challenge the idea that science is "value-free",[5] meaning that science is subjected to societal effects, and the research that is conducted is thought to have some bias attached. Science is not autonomous and research requires funding which policy decisions come into play. This is where political and societal affect science making it adherent to a set of ideas.

Feminist Philosophy of Science has traditionally been highly critical of the lack of access and opportunities for women in science and believe science can, and has been "distorted by sexist values"[5] Sharon Crasnow highlights how the "exclusion of women as researchers and subjects"[5] in scientific research, studies and projects can lead to incomplete methods and methodologies and ultimately unreliable or inaccurate results. Some feminist philosophies of science question whether science can lay claim to "impartiality, neutrality, autonomy, and indifference to political positions and the values" when the "neutral" position is benchmarked against the values held by one culture, i.e. western patriarchy, among the multitude of cultures participating in modern science.

A complete Standpoint theory contains seven parts to fully understand the location of power one has, their "epistemic privilege". Anderson lays these out in her journal Feminist Epistemology and Philosophy of Science.[9] The first point of the theory must state the social location of the authority. The second, how large is the grasp of this authority, what does it claim privilege over. Third, what aspect of the social location allows authority. Fourth, the grounds of the authority, what justifies their privilege. Fifth, the type of epistemic privilege it is claiming to have. Sixth, the other perspectives similar to its own. Lastly, access to this privilege, by occupying the social location is it sufficient to gain access to the perspective.

Relating to Objectivity, epistemology can give a fuller understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge. Feminist epistemology is one of a group of approaches in science studies that urges us to recognize the role of the social in the production of knowledge. Feminist epistemology directs people to consider features of themselves and culture as beings of knowledge that had been outside what was considered appropriate. The goals of researchers and the values that shape the choice of goals are relevant to the knowledge we arrive at. This has implications both for how we train scientists and for how we educate everyone about science. If science is seen as more connected to application, more related to human needs and desires, traditionally underrepresented groups will have greater motivation to succeed and persist in their science courses or pursue scientific careers. Motivation will be greater as members of underrepresented groups see how science can produce knowledge that has value to their concerns in ways that are consistent with good scientific methodology. Feminist epistemology urges a continued exploration of science in this way and so has much to offer science education.

One of the major challenges facing feminist philosophers of science lies in convincing some skeptics in the fields of philosophy and science that Feminist Philosophy of Science is in fact a legitimate and objective field of academic research and study rather than an agenda driven ideology. Dr. Richardson points out that those who level this accusation at Feminist Philosophy of Science completely misunderstand its motivations and ambitions.[1] Richardson describes how many feminist philosophers of science are involved in "ambitious constructive projects to build a better science".[1] Case studies have played a major role in furthering and advancing feminist philosophy of science. For example, a study conducted by Lloyd in 2005 on the function female orgasm. She explores how evolutionary biologists made false assumptions as to the function of the female orgasm.[10] They believed that it must have reproductive purpose in females simply because it does in males. They went as far as to ignore clear evidence as it went against their initial beliefs. This critique caused extensive debate as it attacked the core beliefs held by evolutionary biologists. Work like this has and is currently being conducted by feminist philosophers of science as they challenge traditional philosophical questions such as pluralism, objectivity and background assumptions.

One of the greatest challenges faced by female philosophers is marginalization within the academic field of philosophy according to Dr. Richardson.[1] They face exclusion in scientific fields and are marginalized and vastly unrepresented similarly to minorities in the field of philosophy. Their critiques of many topics such as gender bias are often changed, distorted and ineffectively translated by scientists and therefore by the general public.

Elaine Howes has stated that the feminist philosophy of science can be applied to K-12 schooling. Per her examination of the gender separation in STEM subjects, she believes that the feminist philosophy of science should also be applied to public schools. By using feminist theories to examine gender biases in public schools, Howes suggests that possible reforms that could be implemented to close the gap in science, technology, engineering, and math. Her belief is by starting from the bottom, many girls would enter a STEM field and stick with it because of the reforms she suggested and then create a change in the field of science from within.[11]

Socially responsible science is a combination of epistemic roles and social values. This conjuncture of research/evidence and ethics is used by Feminist of Philosophy for the creation of "good science".[12] In Matthew Brown's article "The Source and Status of Values for Socially Responsible Science", he discusses this lens of being socially engaged in science, to "craft better ethics codes for their professional societies", he believes this is done by emphasizing "ethics and social and political philosophy as least as much as epistemology and metaphysics". By valuing the study of ethics, politics, and social studies and applying this socially responsible science, Browne believes this will create a new agenda for science.[12]