While the studies we undertake assume many different forms, they share the common aim of understanding how science works. Some researchers look at the history of science, while others analyze the abstract structure of scientific theory and practice. Still others examine detailed foundational issues in specific sciences. Many employ a combination of these and other approaches.

The particular focus of our work also varies widely: some researchers concentrate on abstract ideas and theory, others on experimental techniques and the apparatuses needed to undertake them. Some examine the institutional setting of science—universities, laboratories, government agencies—or the interactions between science and technology, religion, or social movements. Historical topics range from the science and technology of ancient Greece to the development of quantum field theory, and beyond. Philosophical issues include the epistemology and metaphysics of science, the logic of theory testing and theory evaluation, the role of experiment and heuristic in scientific growth, and the foundational questions that arise in specific sciences.