Philosophy Colloquium - Scientific and Technological Literacy Series - Mar. 10 & Mar. 11, 2011

[Vicki Brett]

There will be two talks given this week in the Scientific and 
Technological Literacy Series.

This coming Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. in HH 373 and Friday, 
March 11, 2011 at 3:30 p.m. in HH 373:  Carla Fehr, Iowa State 
University, "The Epistemology of Ignorance and Theories of Women's 
Intelligence" and "The Public Understanding of Science when Scientists 
are the Public: Research on Women in Science and Engineering".

Thank you,
V. Brett

"The Epistemology of Ignorance and Theories of Women's Intelligence"
Thurs., Mar. 10, 2011 - 4:00 p.m. in HH 373
Carla Fehr
Iowa State University

The epistemology of ignorance is the study of barriers to the 
development and dissemination of knowledge.This study is often conducted 
with attention to the material and political context of the knower, the 
object of knowledge and those who may be impacted by particular 
knowledge claims. My goal is to use the epistemology of ignorance as a 
theoretical lens to examine theories of intelligence differences between 
men and women that have been used to support persistent gender 
inequalities. I argue that in this case, ignorance is maintained by 
practices that undermine the epistemic authority of those who hold 
dissenting views and practices that raise doubts about the 
appropriateness of public debate regarding this topic.

"The Public Understanding of Science when Scientists are the Public: 
Research on Women in Science and Engineering"
Fri., Mar. 11, 2011 - 3:30 p.m. in HH 373
Carla Fehr
Iowan State University

In this paper I explore the implications of a research program, ISU 
ADVANCE, for current models of the public understanding of science.ISU 
ADVANCE is a program designed to test strategies for improving the 
representation of women faculty in science and engineering.The study of 
the public understanding of science is often framed in terms of 
progressing from old models, which see public resistance to science as 
due to a knowledge deficit, to new models, which focus on how the uptake 
and use of scientific knowledge is mediated by the social contexts of 
different lay communities.However, proponents of both of these kinds of 
models tend to focus on cases in which researchers are in positions of 
greater epistemic and institutional authority than members of the 
public.In the case of ISU ADVANCE, these authority relations are turned 
upside down.In this case, the public consists of scientists, engineers 
and university administrators, all in positions of significant 
institutional authority.ISU ADVANCE demonstrates the importance of 
incorporating elements of both the old and new models of the public 
understanding of science in order to develop knowledge that is useful 
for this authoritative scientific public.

-- 
Vicki Brett
Undergraduate Coordinator
Philosophy Department
University of Waterloo
vbrett at uwaterloo.ca
519-888-4567 x32449 (HH 365)