Module 04: The Value Free Ideal and its Challenges

This week's lecture has two parts

The Value Free Ideal

The first part describes and gives arguments for the idea that values should play (in one important sense) no role in science.

Challenges to the Value Free Ideal

The second part presents important challenges to the value free ideal:

Writing exercise for further reflecion

This is a writing exercise. It has several parts

1. Take 10 mins to write down a "Stream of Consciousness" (everything you can think of) on the topic "Science and Values"
   1. Use pen and paper, do not do this on your computer, tablet or mobile phone
   2. use exactly 10 min, no more and no less (use a timer)
   3. Your pen should "go" all the time. DO NOT stop and think. Just write!
2. Now, look at what you have written: how can it be summarized in ONE short sentence?
   1. Now, unlike in the first part, you SHOULD think: how does everything you have written fit together? What is it about?
   2. Still use pen and paper.
3.  Now, rephrase that sentence into a short question and write it down on paper
   1. ‘rephrasing’can mean just a grammatical reformulation
   2. It can also mean a question that is "behind" your summary
4. Think about how your question can be answered (what type of question is it?)
   1. do you think that there is empirical or scientific research that has already answered it?
   2. Do you think that one could conduct empirical / scientific research that would answer your question, but it has not  happened yet?
   3. Do you think philosophers have found an answer to your question?
   4. Do you think that philosophers have talked about your question but have not yet answered it?
   5. Do you think that philosophers have not yet talked about your question but could one day write articles or books about it?
   6. Do you think that is a question that only you, your friends, or your family can answer?
   7. If your question does not fit into one of these categories, then you can also (very briefly) describe what other type of question it is.

There is no one way of doing this writing exercise ‘correctly’. But try to use it for real reflection. This kind of exercise can help you gather your thoughts.