A joint study by Alexandra Karakas and Ádám Tamás Tuboly (MTA Value-Polarizations in Science Research Group) was published in the academic journal Synthese, entitled Materializing values. In the article, the authors examine the value dependence of scientific objects, in the light of philosophy of science, scientific studies, and material culture.

They argue that the objects used in science are both and necessarily influenced by epistemic and non-epistemic considerations, scientific and non-scientific values. The study is available for anyone in open access form at this link.

Abstract:

In contrast to the history of science and to science and technology studies, the value discourse in the philosophy of science has not provided a thorough analysis of the material culture of science. Instruments in science have a special characteristic, namely that they explicitly and clearly emerge from and remain embedded in social contexts, and are thus imbued with values. We argue that the materials (in most cases they are artifacts) used in science are necessarily influenced by both epistemic and non-epistemic considerations. A consequence of this is that a descriptive term cannot give sufficient information whether an artifact is performing in an acceptable way. Instead of the prevailing descriptive approach, we therefore advocate a normative notion of values in the material culture of science. To this end, we connect the material culture of science to the so-called “new demarcation problem”, in order to lay the foundations for a value-sensitive approach to the analysis of instruments. By assessing the five approaches of demarcation concerning value-influences, it will be shown that they break down at various points if the material aspects of science are taken seriously.