Philosophy of Science

Philosophy of science is a branch of philosophy that deals with the prerequisites, methods and goals of science and its various forms of gaining knowledge. The Humboldt Center's research focuses on the relationship between science and values and science and ideology.

One area of particular interest concerns evolutionary explanations of human traits. Such explanations are generally based on extensive empirical evidence, including observations of chimpanzee and infant behaviour, as well as archaeological studies. However, despite the wealth of data, these explanations are often susceptible to ideological presuppositions. As part of the research project Explaining Human Nature: Empirical and Ideological Dimensions we investigate these empirical and ideological dimensions and their implications for understanding human nature.

To get an insight into our research interests, listen to this interview with Prof Dr. Rebekka Hufendiek by Deutschlandfunk.

More generally, research at the Humboldt Centre investigates the relationship between science and values, as well as scientific research and ideology.

Our expertise also includes explainable artificial intelligence (AI), investigating what constitutes a good explanation (drawing on recent debates in philosophy of science), as well as what constitutes human understanding (which is relevant for medical diagnoses).