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Biography of Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer
Steven Shapin
Steven Shapin, born in 1943, is a prominent historian and sociologist of science known for his insightful contributions to the field of science studies. He has extensively explored the social and cultural aspects of scientific knowledge, focusing on the ways in which science is practiced, legitimized, and understood within specific historical contexts.
Shapin received his PhD in history of science from the University of Pennsylvania in 1969. He began his academic career at the University of California, San Diego, before moving to the University of Edinburgh in 1976, where he became a professor of the sociology of science. Shapin has also held positions at various prestigious institutions, including Harvard University, where he was a professor of the history of science.
One of Shapin’s most influential works is the book Leviathan and the Air-Pump: Hobbes, Boyle, and the Experimental Life (1985), coauthored with Simon Schaffer. In this book, Shapin and Schaffer examined the dispute between Thomas Hobbes and Robert Boyle over the legitimacy and authority of experimental knowledge in the seventeenth century. Through a detailed analysis of their debates, the authors shed light on the social and political dimensions of scientific practice and the construction of scientific credibility.
Shapin’s research often focuses on the historical and cultural contexts that shape scientific knowledge and the scientific community. He has explored topics such as the role of trust and credibility in scientific collaboration, the social organization of scientific disciplines, and the interactions between science and society. His work has challenged the idea of scientific knowledge as purely objective and value-free, emphasizing the social negotiations and controversies involved in the production and dissemination of scientific facts.
In addition to Leviathan and the Air-Pump, Shapin has written numerous influential articles and books, including A Social History of Truth: Civility and Science in Seventeenth-Century England (1994) and Never Pure: Historical Studies of Science as If It Was Produced by People with Bodies, Situated in Time, Space, Culture, and Society, and Struggling for Credibility and Authority (2010).
Steven Shapin’s work has had a profound impact on the field of science studies, inspiring scholars to critically examine the social, cultural, and historical dimensions of scientific knowledge. His research has helped shape our understanding of how science operates as a social institution and has encouraged a more nuanced view of scientific objectivity. Shapin’s contributions continue to influence and inform discussions on the nature of scientific practice and its relationship with society.
Simon Schaffer
Simon Schaffer, born in 1955, is a renowned historian of science known for his influential research on the history and sociology of scientific knowledge. He has made significant contributions t