Samuel Hall (University of Notre Dame)
I offer a new taxonomy of values in science, clarifying and rejecting an epistemic/non-epistemic distinction in favor of distinguishing between cognitive values, characteristics of theories, and conative values, valued ends. The set of cognitive values is a function of the conative value guiding scientific inquiry. Cognitive values serve as reasons to commit to a theory while conative values dictate the norms of inquiry, conditioning the evaluation of evidential support and methodological standards of research. This value-directed view respects the motivating concern behind the value-free ideal, namely, avoidance of self-confirming belief in any particular scientific theory.
