The HPS Podcast - Conversations from History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science
Leading scholars in History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science (HPS) introduce contemporary topics for a general audience. Developed by graduate students from the HPS program at the University of Melbourne.
Lead Hosts: Thomas Spiteri (2025) and Samara Greenwood (2023-2024).
Season Five is now here! Episodes released weekly. More information on the podcast can be found at hpsunimelb.org
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 27 minutes
- Episodes
- 72
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
S5 E8 - Philip Kitcher on Philosophy for Science and the Common Good
This week, Thomas Spiteri speaks with Professor Philip Kitcher, John Dewey Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Columbia University and one of the most influential philosophers of science of the past …
S5 E7 - Lydia Patton on HOPOS
This week, Thomas Spiteri is in conversation with Professor Lydia Patton, philosopher of science and historian of the philosophy of science. Patton traces her unexpected journey from ballet to Kantia…
S5 E6 - Sarah Blaffer Hrdy on ‘Rethinking our Starting Assumptions’
“I love your field. It is making such an important point about scientists who don't understand the extent to which our own upbringing impacts our starting assumptions. It's those starting assumptions…
S5 E5 - Cristian Larroulet Philippi on Measurement in the Human Sciences
This week, Thomas Spiteri is joined by Dr. Cristian Larroulet Philippi, who joins us at the University of Melbourne this year as the inaugural RW Seddon Fellow in the History and Philosophy of Scienc…
S5 E4 - Heather Douglas on Rethinking Science’s Social Contract
This week on The HPS Podcast, Thomas Spiteri is in conversation with internationally recognised philosopher of science and professor at Michigan State University, Heather Douglas. Heather’s work has …
S5 E3 - Hans-Jörg Rheinberger on 'Epistemic Things'
Today on The HPS Podcast, Thomas Spiteri talks with Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, distinguished historian and philosopher of science and Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Scie…
S5 E2 - Surekha Davies on Humans: A Monstrous History
Today on The HPS Podcast, Thomas Spiteri speaks with Dr. Surekha Davies, historian of science, art and ideas, and author of the new book Humans: A Monstrous History (University of California Press). …
S5 E1 - Samara and Thomas: Reflections and Roads Ahead
After a short break, The HPS Podcast is back! Season 5 opens with a special handover episode. After several years as lead host, Samara Greenwood passes the mic to fellow PhD candidate Thomas Spiteri.…
Audience Faves: Daston & Harrison on 'Scientists and History'
In the lead up to the launch of Season 5, we at The HPS Podcast are re-releasing some favourite episodes from our collection.
In this episode Professors Lorraine Daston and Peter Harrison talk to Sama…
Audience Faves: Kristian Camilleri on 'The Disunity of Science'
In the lead up to the launch of Season 5, we at The HPS Podcast are re-releasing some favourite episodes from our collection.
First, we have Dr Kristian Camilleri talking with Samara Greenwood about t…
Audience Faves: Hasok Chang on 'Epistemic Iteration'
In the lead up to the launch of Season 5, we at The HPS Podcast are re-releasing some favourite episodes from our collection.
In this episode, Professor Hasok Chang talks with Samara Greenwood about h…
Audience Faves: Rachael Brown on 'Values in Science'
In the lead up to the launch of Season 5, we at The HPS Podcast are re-releasing some favourite episodes from our collection.
In this episode we have Dr Rachael Brown talking to Samara Greenwood on ch…
S4 Ep 12 - Joshua Eisenthal et al. on 'Philosophy of Science in Practice'
Today we have not one, not two, but five fabulous guests who all presented at this year’s conference for the Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice, or SPSP24 for short.
Many philosophers of s…
S4 Ep 11 - Redux: Fiona Fidler on 'Collective Objectivity'
"It wouldn’t make sense to leave the entire burden of upholding objectivity in science on the shoulders of fallible individuals, right?" Prof. Fiona Fidler
Today, we return to one of our favourite ep…
S4 Ep 10 - Erika Milam on 'Colloquial Science'
"These conversations are the focus of fierce debate, not because scientists lack authority, but because these are the intellectual battles worth fighting. These are the stakes on which modern society…
S4 Ep 9 - Holden Thorp on 'Teach History and Philosophy of Science'
“This is Holden Thorp. I'm the Editor in Chief of Science and thanks to Sam and Carmelina for all they're doing to get the word out about the history and philosophy of science”
Today's guest is Holden…
S4 Ep 8 - Nicole C. Nelson on 'Ethnographies of Science'
Today, Carmelina is joined by Dr. Nicole C. Nelson, Associate Professor in the Department of Medical History and Bioethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Nicole is an ethnographer of science…
S4 Ep 7 - Naomi Oreskes on 'Writing on Ignorance'
"In response to that article, I was getting hate mail. I was getting attacked. I thought, these people have a script. This is a story that people need to understand. This isn't just something of acad…
S4 Ep 6 - Jen Martin on 'Communicating Science'
"Doing the thing is not the whole thing, it's also the sharing it with the audiences who either need it or are simply interested in it...science isn't finished until it's communicated"
Our guest today…
S4 Ep 5 - Edouard Machery on 'Experimental Philosophy'
Today our guest presenter Thomas Spiteri is joined by Professor Edouard Machery, Distinguished Professor in the University of Pittsburgh’s HPS department and director of the Center for Philosophy of …