Style Matters: Scientific Pluralism and its Early-Modern Sources

Project Information

EPISTYLE

Grant agreement ID: 101030646

DOI

10.3030/101030646

Project closed

EC signature date 15 April 2021

Start date 1 September 2021

End date 31 August 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 251 002,56

EU contribution

€ 251 002,56

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITA CA' FOSCARI VENEZIA
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EPISTYLE (Style Matters: Scientific Pluralism and its Early-Modern Sources)

Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2024-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

EPISTYLE focuses on the concept of “style” and its aim is to lay the ground for rethinking the history and the terms of contemporary debates over scientific pluralism. The notion of "style" played an important role in the so-called “pluralist turn” in history and philosophy of science (H&PS) of the second half of the twentieth century. This turn emphasized the disunity of the sciences, in terms of both methods and results, and developed as a response to the philosophical program for the unification of science which characterised mainstream philosophy of science, especially in the first half of the twentieth century. In some cases, however, this has led to constructivist and relativist views of science and knowledge that contributed to undermine the general credibility of science in our societies.

EPISTYLE is important for society because it provides a complex, both historical and conceptual framing for current debates about pluralism in science and science policy. Such debates are very vivid in our societies, particularly as a consequence of processes such as the climate crisis or events as the recent pandemic crisis. Such processes and events have pushed scientists, scholars at large, and policy makers to critically discuss and improve their standards of operation in order to respond to an increased societal demand for transparency and openness. In this framework, efforts are being made to rethink the nature and aims of both “open science” and “citizen (or "community") science” by drawing on the notion of epistemic diversity. Style can play here a central in the search for a pluralism which is tolerant but at the same time coherent, that is, capable of distinguishing the level of objectivity and credibility of specific scientific claims.

EPISTYLE overall objective is to contribute to these ongoing efforts by developing a coherent form of pluralism which avoids relativist outcomes. EPISTYLE made decisive steps in this direction, developing the notion of “stylistic pluralism” which draws from the historicity and contextuality of forms of inquiry in order to better assess the forms of objectivity and progressivity that characterize the sciences.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

According to the plan of the action, EPISTYLE has proceeded in a twofold way: it has 1) inquired into two moments in the history of style, the early modern and the modern period, and 2) it has used this historical knowledge to develop the notion of “stylistic pluralism” and contribute to contemporary debates over scientific pluralism. Around 1) Dr Vagelli has, first, looked at the interconnections between style, method, rhetoric, and philology in the early-modern period. In this framework, Dr Vagelli was able, first, to confirm the hypothesis of a strong link between style and method established during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Secondly, it has investigated the interplay between modes of perception and techniques with reference to the work of nineteenth century art historians. Concerning 2) EPISTYLE has focused on the views on style by contemporary historians and philosophers of science and assessed the role the notion of style played in the debates concerning pluralism and the disunity of science. To reach its aims, EPISTYLE has adopted the methodology of historical epistemology, implying a combined historical and philosophical approach to the study of knowledge. With this respect, EPISTYLE has not just limited itself to the implementation of such methodology, but it has proceeded to its critical discussion and refinement for the study of scientific styles.

The project has realized to present 2 publications, 1 submitted paper, 2 submitted books, 12 presentations at conferences, workshops, colloquia and seminars, organization of 6 events, as well as implementing working exchange with professors, researchers and students at the Universities of Ca’ Foscari, Harvard (outgoing) and Cambridge (secondment). Dr Vagelli has been able to teach an online course within the Master program in philosophy and history of science and technology organized by the University of Ca’ Foscari Venice and the University of Bologna. The ER was also able to meet and advise graduate students both at the University of Cambridge and the University of Ca’ Foscari Venice.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

EPISTYLE focused on the concept of “style” and its aim was to lay the ground for rethinking the history and the terms of contemporary debates over scientific pluralism. According to the plan of the action, to accomplish this aim, EPISTYLE has proceeded in a threefold way: it has 1) inquired into two moments in the history of style, the early modern and the modern period, and 2) it has used this historical knowledge to develop the notion of “stylistic pluralism” and contribute to contemporary debates over scientific pluralism. Additionally, it has also 3) developed a new understanding of historical epistemology and fundamentally linked this methodology to different “styles” in combining historical and philosophical perspectives in the study of science and scientific knowledge.

Despite the recent, multidisciplinary interest in style, a comprehensive discussion of the concept’s epistemological implications was still lacking and EPISTYLE operated to fill this gap. By rekindling the epistemological interest for the notion of style, EPISTYLE has drawn even closer ties among philosophers, historians of philosophy, historians of science and art historians. Furthermore, a key contribution of this MSCA Action is its extended discussion of epistemological styles in the context of the ongoing dispute over scientific pluralism and realism which was also absent in the literature.

The drawings of a bee and its parts seen under the microscope (1630)