Department of History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine

It is with sadness that the Department of History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine announces the loss of our former colleague Ron Giere, who passed away on May 20, 2020. Dr. Giere was a faculty member of the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at Indiana University Bloomington from 1966 until 1987. He then joined the faculty at the Department of Philosophy at the University of Minnesota, returning to Bloomington after his retirement from there.
 
He was a renowned philosopher of science, authoring many articles and books, including Explaining Science: A Cognitive Approach (1988), Science Without Laws (1999), and Scientific Perspectivism (2006).
 
As an emeritus, he was an active and lively participant at our department colloquium and other departmental events and reading groups. He loved to engage in philosophical discussions with department members and guests, and he was a kind, patient, and supportive mentor to younger scholars in the field. His book "Understanding Scientific Reasoning," - designed to impart the intellectual skills of understanding and evaluating scientific reasoning  as presented in the media - was the main textbook for our undergraduate introduction to scientific reasoning for many years.