Philosophers of science have increasingly called attention to the benefits of incorporating philosophy of science into scientific practice, with some even offering case studies of fruitful collaborations with scientists. This scholarship is crucial for understanding how we might improve the relationship between philosophy and science, yet most of it represents the perspectives of philosophers, leaving us with little insight into scientists’ and engineers’ experiences. Previous scholarship has also largely overlooked the barriers that may prevent scientists from engaging with philosophers, as well as the conditions under which collaborations might be especially promising. We set out to generate robust empirical insights on these matters by interviewing 20 scientists and engineers who have collaborated with philosophers of science. Our findings indicate that the benefits philosophers typically highlight are well recognized by participants, thus validating philosophical scholarship. What is more, participants identified practical benefits for their research and alluded to longer-term impacts emerging from the ways the collaboration shaped them as scientists. We also found that scientists and engineers faced two types of barriers, external and internal, although they also noted that the benefits of collaborating generally outweighed the costs. Lastly, participants shared unique perspectives on the conditions that are likely to make such collaborations worthwhile, offering actionable insights into how collaborators can tip the scales in their favor. This research should be useful for philosophers of science and scientists who are interested in engaging with one another, as well as for scientists and engineers more broadly as a way of understanding how such collaborations can benefit their fields.
Plaisance et al. (Thu,) studied this question.