History and Philosophy of Science

Research aspirations

History and Philosophy of Science (HPS) is a Faculty of Arts discipline with very strong connections to, and synergies with, disciplines in other faculties - most notably in Science, Engineering and Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. A central function for research in HPS remains the bridging of the gap between the different research traditions and research cultures.

HPS regards itself as enabling communication between disciplines, in a period where the divergence between science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and humanities, arts, and social sciences (HASS) disciplines has become more manifest. This involves a continued critical debate with STEM disciplines about the nature and implications of scientific research, but also an engagement with HASS disciplines about the cultural relevance of the sciences. A particular project within this framework focuses on the history of Australian science, as a broad collaboration with the University of Melbourne Archives and Museums and Collections as well as the Australasian Association for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science (AAHPSSS).