Is Scientific Truth Discovered or Constructed?

About this event

In this session, we'll explore two fundamental questions in the philosophy of science: Is scientific knowledge objective, or is it relative to the conceptual frameworks through which we understand the world? And to what extent are scientific facts discovered rather than socially constructed? We'll examine the idea of epistemological relativism, particularly through Thomas Kuhn's concept of scientific paradigms, which suggests that the way scientists understand and interpret evidence is influenced by the theoretical frameworks they work within. We'll then explore social constructionism through the work of philosophers and sociologists of science such as David Bloor and Bruno Latour. Their work challenges the traditional distinction between the social processes surrounding scientific research and the actual production of scientific knowledge. But if scientific knowledge is shaped by social conventions, historical contexts, and collective agreement, does that mean scientific truth is simply a matter of perspective? Or can scientific knowledge remain objective despite its social origins? Together, we'll discuss questions such as: • Is there an objective scientific truth independent of our conceptual frameworks? • Can two competing scientific paradigms both be rational or justified? • If scientific facts are socially constructed, does that make them less objective? • Does scientific consensus establish truth, or is consensus the result of discovering truth? • Where should we draw the line between the social construction of scientific knowledge and the discovery of an independent reality? 📖 Preparation – Short philosophical reading (20–30 minutes) Please read selected sections from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Relativism https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/relativism/ Focus on: • Section 1.1 – The Co-variance Definition • Section 4.4.3 – Relativism about Science • Section 4.4.4 – Social Constructionism You don't need to read the entire article. These sections provide the necessary philosophical background for our discussion. No prior expertise is required, just curiosity and a willingness to question our assumptions. Looking forward to an interesting discussion!