Values and evidence: how models make a difference

Parker, Wendy S.; Winsberg, Eric

doi:10.1007/s13194-017-0180-6

Values and evidence: how models make a difference

Parker, Wendy S.; Winsberg, Eric

Authors

Wendy S. Parker

Eric Winsberg

Abstract

We call attention to an underappreciated way in which non-epistemic values influence evidence evaluation in science. Our argument draws upon some well-known features of scientific modeling. We show that, when scientific models stand in for background knowledge in Bayesian and other probabilistic methods for evidence evaluation, conclusions can be influenced by the non-epistemic values that shaped the setting of priorities in model development. Moreover, it is often infeasible to correct for this influence. We further suggest that, while this value influence is not particularly prone to the problem of wishful thinking, it could have problematic non-epistemic consequences in some cases.

Citation

Parker, W. S., & Winsberg, E. (2018). Values and evidence: how models make a difference. European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 8(1), 125-142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13194-017-0180-6

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Jun 14, 2017
Online Publication Date	Jul 17, 2017
Publication Date	Jan 1, 2018
Deposit Date	Jul 19, 2017
Publicly Available Date	Jul 19, 2017
Journal	European Journal for Philosophy of Science
Print ISSN	1879-4912
Electronic ISSN	1879-4920
Publisher	Springer
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	8
Issue	1
Pages	125-142
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s13194-017-0180-6

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Advance online version © The Author(s) 2017. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made.