Values as heuristics: a contextual empiricist account of assessing values scientifically

Abstract Feminist philosophers have discussed the prospects for assessing values empirically, particularly given ongoing threat of sexism and other oppressive influencing science society. Some advocates such tests now champion a “values as evidence” approach, they criticize Helen Longino’s contextual empiricism not holding to same level empirical scrutiny claims. In this paper, we defend by arguing that many these criticisms are based on mischaracterizations position, overstatements certain claims, false dichotomies. Her only allows support disconfirmation values, but Longino explicitly discusses when can be empirically adjudicated emphasizes crucial role community standards evidence. We elaborate less direct account heuristics” reviewing theory evidence then using case study from Elisabeth Lloyd biology female orgasm, demonstrating androcentric in evolutionary science. Within Lloyd’s empiricism, do get treated directly assessed individuals, rather heuristic tools build models whose use validated or invalidated communities their fruitfulness logic pragmatics research questions specific historical cultural contexts.