Scientific Hypotheses and Epistemic Policies

The Impact of Contextual Factors on the Generation of Scientific Knowledge

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52712/issn.1850-0013-429

Keywords:

regulatory science, epistemic policies, standard of proof, burden of proof, scientific hypotheses

Abstract

Since the 1960s, regulatory science has been understood as the scientific field which generates relevant knowledge for designing and evaluating public policies and regulatory practices. This domain exhibits epistemic differences compared to traditional academic science, due to the existence of contextual factors. These include a greater involvement of external agents, variations in available resources, notable susceptibility to non-epistemic values, or the presence of regulatory agencies and their associated procedures. Contextual factors bring the application of certain courses of action for scientific practice known as epistemic policies, which set standards and burdens of proof that do not coincide with those of academic science. Ultimately, these particularities lead to the acceptance of distinct hypotheses and, therefore, the establishment of different scientific contents.

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Author Biographies

Roberto López-Mas, University of the Balearic Islands

Department of Philosophy, University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Spain. Member of the research group Philosophical Analysis and Scientific Knowledge. 

Guillermo Marín Penella, University of the Balearic Islands

Department of Philosophy, University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Spain. Member of the research group Philosophical Analysis and Scientific Knowledge. 

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Published

2024-03-15

How to Cite

López-Mas, R., & Marín Penella, G. (2024). Scientific Hypotheses and Epistemic Policies: The Impact of Contextual Factors on the Generation of Scientific Knowledge. Revista Iberoamericana De Ciencia, Tecnología Y Sociedad - CTS (Ibero-American Science, Technology and Society Journal), 19(55), 229–244. https://doi.org/10.52712/issn.1850-0013-429

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