Department of Philosophy of science

Staff, Publications

The Department for philosophy of science is founded in 1959 by Acad. Asen Kiselinchev.

Since then, the following research fields and problems have been considered and developed: definition of a field of possible solutions for analysis of problematic situations emerging in the development of science; analysis of the problem for causality in quantum mechanics; development of the idea about the necessity of substratum approach to science as an alternative to the functional and structural approaches dominating in contemporary science; the ailments of the nervous and the cardiovascular systems as inadequate reactions of the biological nature of human being to the changed social and ecological conditions; materialistic teleology and the internal goals as models for future actions; analysis of the possibilities and frameworks for description of social systems based on an analogy with the living organism; investigation of the structure and dynamics of the evolution theories and their application in epistemology; Scientific crises as expressions of contradiction; the role and essence of problems and problem solving; holistic interpretation of quantum mechanics; Pure theoretical constructs: the essence the scientific knowledge in the XX-th century; synthesis of ontological and epistemological approaches as a key to the interpretation of quantum mechanics; methodology of chemical science; philosophy of technique; the teleological approach to molecular biology; extra-scientific factors in the motivation of the scientific activity; proof of possibility of experimental metaphysics.

During the recent years the section is oriented toward topics like the relation between science and pseudoscience, epistemic standards in science, the role of causality in scientific knowledge. The department runs yearly Popper seminars and conferences on national level under the general topic “Vocation for Philosophy” dedicated to prominent Bulgarian philosophers. During 2006 the XII Popper seminar took place under the topic “What Science Explores”.