History and Philosophy of Science

Research orientations

History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) at the University of Melbourne is oriented towards an integrated approach that aims to link historical, philosophical, and sociological methods in the study of science, technology and medicine. It is thus by nature interdisciplinary, linking to various other disciplines within the faculty, in other faculties and outside the university.

The program combines the traditional broad approach to research in HPS with methodologies developed in historical and social epistemology aiming to explore links and correspondences between the different research areas. These research areas include:

• the use of technology in domestic environments
• scientific naturalism
• historical demography
• the history and philosophy of 20th century physics
• the history of early modern experimental natural philosophy
• practical mathematics