This week, Thomas Spiteri is in conversation with Professor Lydia Patton, philosopher of science and historian of the philosophy of science. Patton traces her unexpected journey from ballet to Kantian philosophy and into the emerging field of HOPOS (history of philosophy of science). She reflects on her years as editor-in-chief of the HOPOS journal, she offers her perspective on the field’s future.

Along the way, she highlights the distinctive character of HOPOS as a historically grounded approach to philosophical problems, reflects on her editorial leadership of HOPOS (2017-2024), emphasises the importance of widening the scope of the discipline, and considers the promise and limits of new and emerging methods of research. She concludes by discussing some of areas of research that continue to capture her attention.

In this episode, Patton:

• Recounts her unlikely path from ballet to philosophy and HOPOS
• Clarifies what makes HOPOS distinctive as a historical approach
• Reflects on her editorial leadership of HOPOS (2017–2024)
• Challenges presentist views of the 19th century and its blurred disciplinary boundaries
• Explores new digital methods in the history of philosophy of science
• Shares concerns and hopes about AI and machine learning
• Looks ahead to the journal’s future under Matthew Brown

 Relevant Links

• Lydia Patton Website
• Article discussed: Serendipity and the Unexpected in the History of Philosophy of Science: Reflections on My Editorship of HOPOS (2017–2024)
• HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science
• International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science (HOPOS)
• Stuart Russell – Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control 

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

“I love your field. It is making such an important point about scientists who don't understand the extent to which our own upbringing impacts our starting assumptions. It's those starting assumptions that get you in trouble.”  

In today’s episode Samara Greenwood returns to interview the pioneering primatologist and evolutionary anthropologist, Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, about her latest book Father Time: A Natural History of Men and Babies. The discussion centres on the shifts Sarah made in her personal assumptions through the process of conceiving and writing this work. The notion that men had the capacity to be expert carers of young babies was foreign to Sarah until she experienced it firsthand when her son-in-law took on the role of primary carer to her first-born grandson in 2012. This ‘lived experience’ of expert male care led Sarah not only to a new mindset, but to a new way of theorising about the evolutionary possibilities for baby-care in men. 

Relevant Links:  

• Sarah B. Hrdy | Anthropology 
• Father Time | Princeton University Press 
• Should We Expect More from Dads? | Featuring Sarah Hrdy | The New Yorker 
• How Feminism changed Primatology | Featuring Samara Greenwood | The Philosopher’s Zone 

For more on the topic of supporting men in their care of children, see our series on working fathers.  

Working Fathers Podcast Mini-Series:  

• Working Fathers Mini-series. Ep 1 - Where's Dad? 
• Working Fathers Mini-series. Ep 2 - What Gave Rise to the Breadwinner? 
• Working Fathers Mini-series. Ep 3 - Are Fathers Free? 
• Working Fathers Mini-series. Ep 4 - Give Dads a Break 
• Working Fathers Mini-series. Ep 5 - What's Next?
   

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

This week, Thomas Spiteri is joined by Dr. Cristian Larroulet Philippi, who joins us at the University of Melbourne this year as the inaugural RW Seddon Fellow in the History and Philosophy of Science program. With a background in economics and a PhD in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge, Larroulet Philippi was previously a Junior Research Fellow at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. His research explores the development and justification of quantitative concepts, the role of measurement in the human sciences, and the intersection of scientific objectivity and values.

In this episode, Larroulet Philippi:

• Traces his path from economics into philosophy of science, and how encounters with psychometrics and measurement theory reshaped his research direction
• Explains why measurement in the human sciences is perhaps more philosophically complex than in the physical sciences – highlighting issues of conceptual vagueness, causal complexity, and limited experimental control
• Discusses the difficulties of treating concepts like intelligence or depression severity as measurable quantities, and what kinds of evidence and theory would be needed to justify this
• Examines the risks of treating indices like depression or wellbeing scores as overly objective or precise in policy contexts, and why we need a clearer grasp of what such numbers are meant to represent
• Reflects on why clearer thinking about measurement matters across philosophy, psychology, sociology, and policy — and on his efforts to build cross-disciplinary dialogue 

Relevant Links

• Cristian Larroulet-Philippi - University of Melbourne
• Recent Interview - about the  RW Seddon Fellowship
• PhilPapers
• Cristian's podcast, FICICO (Spanish-speaking) 

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

This week on The HPS Podcast, Thomas Spiteri is in conversation with internationally recognised philosopher of science and professor at Michigan State University, Heather Douglas. Heather’s work has transformed how philosophers and scientists think about values, responsibility, and the relationship between science and society.

In recognition of her contributions, she has been honoured as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Institute for Science, Society, and Policy at the University of Ottawa, and has held senior fellowships at the Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh and, most recently, with the SOCRATES Group at Leibniz Universität Hannover.

In this episode, Douglas:

• Shares her intellectual journey, from early interdisciplinary studies to her philosophical work on scientific responsibility, values, and policy
• Explains how the twentieth-century “social contract” for science emerged—shaping the distinction between basic and applied research, determining how science is funded, and insulating scientists from broader social accountability
• Examines the enduring appeal of the “value-free ideal” and why this model is increasingly challenged by contemporary social and ethical realities
• Discusses the pressures that have exposed the limitations of the old social contract for science, including Cold War funding dynamics, issues of public trust, and debates over dual-use research
• Sets out her vision for a new social contract for science—one that recognises the unavoidable role of values in research, makes public trust and inclusivity central, and supports scientists through stronger institutional structures
• Offers practical proposals for reforming science funding, governance, and accountability — arguing that only a more open, responsive, and democratically engaged science can meet the challenges of the twenty-first century

Relevant Links:

• Heather Douglas profile – Michigan State University
• Committee for Freedom and Responsibility in Science
• Science, Policy, and the Value-Free Ideal (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2009)
• Douglas, H. & Branch, T.Y., 2024. The social contract for science and the value-free ideal. Synthese, 203(2), pp.1–19. (Open Access)

Transcript coming soon.

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

Today on The HPS Podcast, Thomas Spiteri talks with Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, distinguished historian and philosopher of science and Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin. Trained first in philosophy and then in molecular biology, Rheinberger is well-recognised for his work on the history and epistemology of experimentation. His influential work, including concepts like “experimental systems” and “epistemic things,” has helped shape how we understand the material, conceptual, and historical dimensions of scientific research.

In this episode, Rheinberger:

• Describes his path from philosophy to molecular biologist, and how time at the lab bench informed his understanding science
• Explains what “experimental systems” are—carefully arranged environments where scientists interact with both the unknown and the tools that make inquiry possible
• Defines “epistemic things,” the phenomena that underpin scientific curiosity, and “technical objects,” the stable tools and methods that emerge from research over time
• Illustrates these ideas with vivid case examples, from solving the genetic code with synthetic RNA to the invention and evolution of the electron microscope
• Reflects on the impact of new technologies, automation, and digital visualisation, and what persists — and changes — about experimentation in the contemporary lab

Relevant Links

• Hans-Jörg Rheinberger profile – Max Planck Institute for the History of Science
• Split and Splice: A Phenomenology of Experimentation ( University of Chicago Press), 2023
• Epistemology of the Concrete: On Historicizing Epistemology (Duke University Press), 2010
• Toward a History of Epistemic Things (Harvard University Press), 1997

Transcript coming soon

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

Today on The HPS Podcast, Thomas Spiteri speaks with Dr. Surekha Davies, historian of science, art and ideas, and author of the new book Humans: A Monstrous History (University of California Press). Surekha’s research explores how ideas about humanity have been shaped by encounters with what did not seem to fit. She draws on visual, material and textual sources to show how people have imagined and defined the human across time.

In this episode, Surekha:

• Traces her path into HPS, from Star Trek dreams to Renaissance studies
• Explains why visual and material sources are crucial to understanding early modern science
• Introduces her book Humans: A Monstrous History
• Tell us about how monstrosity functioned as an epistemic tool for organising knowledge and drawing conceptual boundaries
• Examines how these ideas influenced concepts of gender, race and empire

If you’ve ever wondered how the strange and unfamiliar shaped science, culture, and our understanding of humanity, this episode is for you.

Relevant Links:
Surekha Davies Website
Humans: A Monstrous History ((University of California Press, 2025)
Renaissance Ethnography and the Invention of the Human: New Worlds, Maps and Monsters (Cambridge University Press, 2016).

Transcript coming soon.

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

After a short break, The HPS Podcast is back! Season 5 opens with a special handover episode. After several years as lead host, Samara Greenwood passes the mic to fellow PhD candidate Thomas Spiteri. Together, they look back on the podcast’s journey, what it has meant to them, and where it’s headed next.

Hear from Samara and Thomas as they:

• Introduce Thomas as the new host and share plans for Season 5
• Reflect on hosting highlights and lessons learned
• Discuss insights from the 10th Integrated HPS Conference at Caltech (2025)
• Explore what it means to do integrated HPS
• Wrap up with a lightning round on favourite concepts, research obsessions, and books

Plus, some exciting news: The HPS Podcast has received the 2024 BSHS Ayrton Prize for Public Engagement! 

Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or are tuning in for the first time, this episode sets the stage for an exciting new season. We thank you for joining us!

Relevant Links

• The HPS Podcast Website | hpsunimelb.org
• BSHS Ayrton Prize – Public Engagement
• Integrated HPS Conference 2024 – Caltech
• Samara Greenwood – University of Melbourne

Music by ComaStudio.

Transcript coming soon.

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

In the lead up to the launch of Season 5, we at The HPS Podcast are re-releasing some favourite episodes from our collection.

In this episode Professors Lorraine Daston and Peter Harrison talk to Samara Greenwood on the often complex, sometimes fraught relationship between practicing scientists and the history of science. 

This episode was originally released on March 07, 2024.

The transcript can be found at - S3 Ep1 - Lorraine Daston & Peter Harrison Transcript

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

In the lead up to the launch of Season 5, we at The HPS Podcast are re-releasing some favourite episodes from our collection.

In this episode, Professor Hasok Chang talks with Samara Greenwood about his concept of 'Epistemic Iteration', the idea that scientific inquiries do not start from a solid foundation, but rather begin from an imperfect position, using the outcomes of our further inquiry to refine and correct the original starting point.

This episode was originally released on December 4, 2023.

The transcript can be found at - Hasok Chang Transcript - S2 Ep 11

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Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org

In the lead up to the launch of Season 5, we at The HPS Podcast are re-releasing some favourite episodes from our collection.

In this episode we have Dr Rachael Brown talking to Samara Greenwood on challenge the common idea that Science is (and should be) 'Value-Free'. At a practical level, in choosing which phenomena to study, and how best to study them, can science really ever be value-free? Second, would we want it to, even if it could? Isn't it possible that, if used appropriately, values provide a beneficial component of the scientific process.

This episode was originally released on July 13, 2023.

The transcript can be found at - S1 Ep 7 - Rachael Brown on 'Values in Science'

Thanks for listening to The HPS Podcast. You can find more about us on our website, Bluesky, Instagram and Facebook feeds.

This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
Website HPS Podcast | hpsunimelb.org