Caltech’s Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) is home to the Department of History and Philosophy of Science (HPS). HPS faculty and students explore the history of science and its relationship to philosophy. The department offers B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in History of Science and Technology, as well as a M.A. degree in Science, Technology, and Public Policy.
The HPS department is consistently ranked among the top HPS departments in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.
History of the Department of History and Philosophy of Science
The Department of History and Philosophy of Science was stablished in 1966. The department’s first chair was Thomas Kuhn, who made seminal contributions to the history and philosophy of science. Kuhn is best known for his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, first published in 1962. In this book, Kuhn argues that science does not progress through a gradual accumulation of knowledge. Rather, science progresses through a series of paradigm shifts. A paradigm is a set of concepts and assumptions that govern how scientists think about a particular area of the world. When a new paradigm is introduced, it can lead to a revolution in scientific thought.
Faculty and Research
HPS faculty have expertise in a wide range of areas, including:
- Ancient science
- Medieval science
- Renaissance science
- Early modern science
- Modern science
- Philosophy of science
- Sociology of science
- History of technology
The department’s research is supported by a number of grants from the National Science Foundation and other funding agencies.
Teaching
HPS offers a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses. Undergraduate courses include:
- Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science
- Ancient Science
- Medieval Science
- Renaissance Science
- Early Modern Science
- Modern Science
- Philosophy of Science
- Sociology of Science
- History of Technology
Graduate courses include:
- Historiography of Science
- Philosophy of Science
- Sociology of Science
- History of Technology
- Special topics
Departmental Resources
The HPS department has a number of resources for students and faculty, including:
- The Caltech Archives, which house a collection of materials related to the history of Caltech and its faculty and students.
- The Caltech Library, which has a large collection of books and journals on the history and philosophy of science.
- The Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology, formerly owned by Bern Dibner, containing more than 50,000 books and journals on the history of science and technology.
- The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, which is a center for interdisciplinary research and education.
Alumni
HPS alumni have gone on to careers in a variety of fields, including:
- Academia
- Industry
- Government
- Non-profit organizations
- Public relations
- Science writing
Conclusion
The Department of History and Philosophy of Science at Caltech is a leading center for the study of the history and philosophy of science. The department’s faculty and students are engaged in cutting-edge research and teaching. HPS alumni have gone on to careers in a variety of fields.
