Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 07 Readers familiar with both the history of philosophy and the history of science often notice a striking difference in the way these disciplines are commonly presented. Histories of philosophy frequently appear as continuous conversations extending across centuries. Plato proposes an idea; Aristotle develops or criticizes it;Continue reading “Excursus 107 – Continuity, Rupture, and Conflict in the History of Ideas”
Tag Archives: science
Excursus 103 – The Moral Responsibility of Scholarly Communities
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 05 The twentieth century profoundly altered the relationship between scholarship, politics, and society. The unprecedented destructive capacity demonstrated during the two World Wars—culminating in genocide, strategic bombing, and nuclear weapons—led many intellectuals to question whether scientific and scholarly activity could be regarded as morally neutral. Organized knowledgeContinue reading “Excursus 103 – The Moral Responsibility of Scholarly Communities”
Excursus 086 – On the Reciprocity Between Philosophy and Science
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 20 Philosophy and science are often presented as separate intellectual enterprises, or as disciplines standing in a hierarchical relationship to one another. Neither characterization adequately reflects their historical development. Throughout the history of knowledge, philosophy and science have repeatedly influenced and transformed one another in a continuousContinue reading “Excursus 086 – On the Reciprocity Between Philosophy and Science”
Excursus 081 – On Science and Technology
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 19 Science and technology are closely related but distinct human enterprises. Their historical interaction has been so productive that they are often treated as though they were synonymous. Yet the primary aim of science is to understand the natural world, whereas the primary aim of technology isContinue reading “Excursus 081 – On Science and Technology”
Excursus 078 – On What Makes a Discipline Scientific?
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 19 The value of an intellectual discipline should not be confused with its scientific status. Philosophy, history, literature, art, and political thought have produced some of humanity’s most profound achievements without thereby becoming sciences. The question is therefore not whether every discipline ought to become scientific, butContinue reading “Excursus 078 – On What Makes a Discipline Scientific?”
Excursus 063 – On Knowledge and Power
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 18 The relationship between knowledge and power has long occupied philosophers, political theorists, and historians of science. Yet the two concepts are easily conflated. Knowledge may confer power by enlarging the range of possible actions, but it is not itself a form of political domination. To distinguishContinue reading “Excursus 063 – On Knowledge and Power”
Excursus 062 – On Science, Technology, and the Uses of Knowledge
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 07 – 18 Discussions concerning science often fail to distinguish between scientific knowledge and its practical applications. The distinction is fundamental. Science seeks to understand, explain, and predict natural phenomena. Technology applies such knowledge to achieve practical ends. Although the two are closely related and frequently develop together, theyContinue reading “Excursus 062 – On Science, Technology, and the Uses of Knowledge”
Excursus 036 – On Scriptures and Science
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 06 – 30 In modern science, references to God or Scripture are absent from scientific discourse. This reflects the principle of methodological naturalism, in which science explains phenomena solely in terms of natural causes and observable evidence. While individual scientists may hold personal religious beliefs, such beliefs are notContinue reading “Excursus 036 – On Scriptures and Science”
Excursus 033 – On the Reciprocal Development of Philosophy and Science
Hossein Jorjani First publication: 2026 – 06 – 30 In Aphorism I:80 of the Novum Organum (1620), Bacon argues that the sciences lose depth and vitality when they become detached from natural philosophy, which he regarded as their common source. The following remarks do not attempt to restate Bacon’s hierarchical conception. Rather, they propose aContinue reading “Excursus 033 – On the Reciprocal Development of Philosophy and Science”
Hossein Jorjani 