Science ,Technology and Society

Sandra Harding's strong objectivity results from an acknowledgment of the perspectival nature of all knowing, and a determined effort to examine the world from the perspectives of the socially underprivileged rather than the privileged. The result, according to standpoint theorists such as Harding,Goldman, Alvin 2001. "Social Epistemology." The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2001 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = < http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2001/entries/epistemology-social/ >. will be knowledge that is less partial and distorted, and hence, more objective . To quote Robert John Russell , “ According to Harding and Hintikka, ‘we must root out sexist distortions and perversions in epistemology , metaphysics , methodology and the philosophy of science'. ” Scientific knowledge, founded on masculine experience as understood by men, is thus only “only partial human experie nce only partially understood ” and distorted when claimed to be gender-free “.

Can hermeneutics of science be an alternate approach from a feminist philosopher of science who has all the ingredients in her for combing successfully these roles, a woman and a scientist, an woman of reason, and an woman who cares and loves. Sandra Harding and Helen Longino falls within this group, If these critics of feminist epistemology of science is justifiable, philosophy of science would be revamped to include the consideration of gender as a necessary element in the epistemology of science.