(Objectivity and Autonomy in Science)

Abstract

The traditional philosophy of science maintains that science is evaluatively neutral and objective. This thesis supposes the absence of personal and group biases, as well as supposedly extra-scientific values such as political, economic, cultural, etc. This position has been criticized from various perspectives, some of which deny the autonomy and objectivity of scientific knowledge. In contrast, we argue that acknowledging the interference of values and interests and advocating social control and scientific responsibility do not imply the denial of the ideals of objectivity and autonomy, but that they are even necessary to obtain an objective knowledge of the world and maintain the independence of judgment in scientific practices. For this reason, we consider that it is important to analyze the senses of objectivity and autonomy to define which are desirable to maintain and which should be abandoned.