Ian Hacking

Ian Hacking is a prominent philosopher known for exploring how scientific practices shape our understanding of reality. He critiques the divide between scientific realism (the belief that science reveals true facts about the world) and anti-realism (which questions this belief). Hacking emphasizes the importance of context in scientific inquiry, particularly in areas like probability and social sciences, where human behaviors and social constructs play significant roles. He also focuses on how concepts in science evolve over time and how they influence our perceptions, arguing that understanding science requires looking at how knowledge is produced and used in specific contexts.