How to study what matters: thick concepts and science
Abstract: Some concepts – wellbeing, sustainability, resilience, inequality, mental health, even infrastructure – evaluate as well as describe. Philosophers call them ‘thick' for that reason. There is a lot of important knowledge to be had about phenomena denoted by thick concepts. But making them objects of research creates the demand that science may not be in the position to fulfil – namely to get right a series of value judgments. This lecture, based on joint work with Mark Fabian and Alessandra Basso, explores the options we face for creating knowledge that is at once important and responsible.
Anna Alexandrova
University of Cambridge
The event is open to all, and the talk will be followed by an open discussion.