New Books Network

Jacob Stegenga, "Heart of Science: A Philosophy of Scientific Inquiry" (U Chicago Press, 2026)

Mar 10, 2026
Guest
Jacob Stegenga
Jacob Stegenga, philosopher of science and author of Heart of Science, argues we should judge scientific activity by justification rather than immediate truth. He explores common knowledge as science’s aim, the role of publicity and criticism, diversity and indigenous inquiry in revealing bias, and how real-time justificatory practices shape scientific progress and trust.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Justification Over Truth For Real Time Evaluation

  • Jacob Stegenga argues evaluative concepts for science should focus on justification not truth when assessing ongoing work.
  • Justification is accessible in real time (methods, controls, reasoning) while truth often requires decades to confirm.
INSIGHT

Science Aims At Common Knowledge

  • Science's constitutive aim is common knowledge: true claims with broad consensus about both claim and justification.
  • Common knowledge requires public articulation and criticism of reasons, which produces objectivity and grounds public trust.
INSIGHT

Scientific Knowledge Is A Public Repository

  • Scientific knowledge is public and encyclopedic, not merely individual belief; it functions as a shared repository for coordination.
  • This publicity requirement forces articulation of reasons and continuous improvement through criticism.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app