New Books in the History of Science Jacob Stegenga, "Heart of Science: A Philosophy of Scientific Inquiry" (U Chicago Press, 2026)
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Mar 10, 2026 
Jacob Stegenga, philosopher of science and medicine and author of Heart of Science, argues for judging science by its justificatory practices rather than immediate truth. He discusses common knowledge as science’s social aim, how justification is assessable in real time, implications for public trust and crisis science like COVID, and the roles of values and diversity in improving objectivity.
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Book Emerged From Research Group Drafts
- Jacob Stegenga began the book by writing several draft papers in early 2023 and circulating them to a Cambridge research group.
- Feedback from his PhD group turned six or seven draft chapters into the book over the next two years.
Justification Over Immediate Truth
- The heart of science is justification not immediate truth, so evaluative standards should judge how well claims are justified.
- Justification is assessable in real time, whereas truth often requires years or centuries to confirm, like Copernicus taking a century to be accepted.
Evaluative Concepts Should Track Justification
- Evaluative scientific concepts (e.g., progress, credit, objectivity) are 'thick'—they describe and praise simultaneously—so their success conditions should track justification.
- Words like 'scientific' carry normative weight, so base praise on process quality not just eventual truth.
