Introduction: There are a variety of ways that feminists have reflected upon and engaged with science critically and constructively each of which might be thought of as perspectives on science. Feminists have detailed the historically gendered participation in the practice of science—the marginalization or exclusion of women from the profession and how their contributions have disappeared when they have participated. Feminists have also noted how the sciences have been slow to study women’s lives, bodies, and experiences. Thus from both the perspectives of the agents—the creators of scientific knowledge—and from the perspectives of the subjects of knowledge—the topics and interests focused on—the sciences often have not served women satisfactorily. We can think of these perspectives as generating two types of equity issues: limitations on the freedom to participate as reflected in the historical underrepresentation of women in the scientific professions and the relative lack of attention to research questions relevant to women’s lives.
2020, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Added by: Simon Fokt, Contributed by: Sharon Crasnow
Comment: Gives an overview of various ways that feminist have engaged with science. Separate sections can be used for different purposes. For example: Equity Issues gives an account of various ways women have historically been excluded from or underserved by science. Feminist Methodology discusses questions of whether there are unique characteristics of feminist methodology. There are separate sections in which specific feminist approaches to philosophy of science are discussed.