Beneath the Surface of the Life Sciences: How Epistemic Uncertainty, Metaphysical Assumptions, and Value Judgments Shape Ethical and Political Reasoning.

Today, the life sciences - evolutionary biology, genetics, the medical sciences, and ecology - are generally presented as being rigorously grounded both empirically and methodologically as well as being value-neutral. Yet, their conceptual frameworks frequently rely on ambiguous epistemic claims, idealized models, metaphors and analogies, pragmatic shortcuts, unexamined assumptions and arguably even value judgments.

Nevertheless, in our society science has assumed an increasingly important role in supporting political and ethical decisions. The significant reliance on scientific opinion and modelling during the COVID-19 pandemic, or the use of empirical evidence of sentience as the key driver in the articulation of animal welfare legislation, illustrate how science increasingly influences policymakers and becomes embedded in ethical and political reasoning. 

The epistemological and metaphysical foundations of the life sciences are thus no longer confined to academic circles: beneath the surface, they subtly shape how citizens perceive the world. Much like in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’, where Andrea’s blue sweater, unbeknownst to her, originated on haute couture runways, filtered through designer collections, and eventually ended up in a clearance bin where she picked it up, ingenuously believing her choice was free from the fashion industry’s influence, policymakers and citizens are constantly influenced by frameworks that are neither scientifically coherent nor politically independent. 

This ‘Philosophical Colloquium’ brings together scholars from diverse areas of philosophy to critically examine the metaphysical and epistemological foundations of the life sciences, and to explore their growing but often-invisible impact on society.

 In the end, we may still choose to wear the same sweater, but with a clearer understanding of why we do, and where it truly comes from.