Heather Douglas
I received my Ph.D. from the History and Philosophy of Science Department at the University of Pittsburgh in 1998. After teaching for six years at the University of Puget Sound, I joined the department at UT in 2004.
My research interests center on the use of science in policy-making. This includes not only how to conceptualize that process, but also what the heavy involvement of science in policy-making means for our understanding of science, for the role of values in science, for the moral responsibilities of scientists, and for the nature of scientific objectivity. I am also interested in the role of peer review for science-based regulatory documents and the possibilities for public participation in technical analyses. Finally, I am interested in the development of philosophy of science in the twentieth century, particularly in the crucible of the cold war.
Selected Publications
- “Rejecting the Ideal of Value-Free Science,” in Value-Free Science? Ideals and Illusions (2007), Harold Kincaid, John Dupré, and Alison Wylie, eds., Oxford University Press, pp. 120-139.
- “Bullshit at the Interface of Science and Policy: Global Warming, Toxic Substances, and Other Pesky Problems,” in Philosophy and Bullshit (2006), Gary L. Hardcastle and George A. Reisch, eds., Open Court Publications, pp. 213-226.
- “Inserting the Public into Science,” in Democratization of Expertise? Exploring Novel Forms of Scientific Advice in Political Decision-Making, Sociology of the Sciences, vol. 24 (2005), Sabine Maasen and Peter Weingart (eds.), Springer. pp. 153-169.
- “Boundaries between Science and Policy: Descriptive Difficulty and Normative Desirability,” Environmental Philosophy, vol. 2, no. 1 (2005): 14-29.
- “Border Skirmishes Between Science and Policy: Autonomy, Responsibility, and Values,” in Science, Values and Objectivity (2004), Peter Machamer and Gereon Wolters, eds., University of Pittsburgh Press, pp. 220-244.
- “Prediction, Explanation, and Dioxin Biochemistry: Science in Public Policy,” Foundations of Chemistry, vol 6, no. 1 (2004): 49-63.
- “The Irreducible Complexity of Objectivity,” Synthese, vol. 138 no. 3 (2004): 453-473.
- “The Moral Responsibilities of Scientists: Tensions between Autonomy and Responsibility,” American Philosophical Quarterly, vol. 40 no. 1 (2003): 59-68.
- “Inductive Risk and Values in Science,” Philosophy of Science, vol. 67 n. 4 (2000): 559-579.
Some Recent Presentations
- “Integrity and Advocacy in Expertise,” March 29, 2007, Hale Chair in Applied Ethics Lecture Series, Rochester Institute of Technology.
- “Norms for Values in Scientific Belief Acceptance,” November 3, 2006, Philosophy of Science Association Biennial Meeting, Vancouver, BC.
- “Values, Uncertainty, and Dissent: A Rational Basis for Scientific Disagreement,” June 20, 2006, Evidence and Dissent in Science, London School of Economics, London, UK.
- “Acceptable Topics in the Philosophy of Science: Establishing a Discipline,” June 16, 2006, Sixth Congress of HOPOS, the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science, Paris, France.
- “The Role of Values in Expert Reasoning,” April 7, 2006, Towards a History and Philosophy of Expertise, Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia.
- “Defining Quality for Science Advice,” January 14, 2006, Quality Control and Assurance in Science Policy Advice, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Germany.
Teaching Interests
Philosophy of science; environmental ethics; science and public policy; rationality; feminist philosophy of science
Recent Professional Service
- Governing Board for the Philosophy of Science Association (2007 – present)
- International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science Steering Committee (2007 – present)
- Reviewer for Philosophy of Science, Hypatia, BioScience, and the National Science Foundation.
Contact Information
Heather Douglas
Assistant Professor
808 McClung Tower
Knoxville, TN 37996-0480
Phone: 865-974-7206
Fax: 865-974-3509
Email: hdouglas@utk.edu