Marine sciences are experiencing a period of unprecedented growth, gaining increasing attention, in part, because of the insights they contribute to the climate crisis. Alarming changes such as species extinction and rampant pollution can affect food security and ecological ecosystems in ways which are hard to predict. Answering the call for fast and interdisciplinary solutions to such complex and wicked problems, marine science has shifted from fundamental to applied research and from individualistic, localized approaches to multidisciplinary, cross-country approaches. Furthermore, globalization and technological advances have expanded these collaborations to a scale unimaginable for researchers just a few decades ago. This is evident in the rise of interdisciplinary and international networks and consortia responding to large funding calls.
Amidst this growth, we pause to reflect on how methodologies, knowledge and data production, and quality of research are evolving. Our focus is on how fast-paced development is affecting both marine science itself and the researchers’ personal sphere. Practice-oriented philosophy of science could provide us with useful tools to reflect on our methods and parameters for defining what is good knowledge. Philosophy can also clarify the values needed to guide our increasingly interdisciplinary and cross-country collaborations. As diverse knowledge communities intersect across varied contexts, such questions become unavoidable. This is of particular relevance for topics such as conservation, which have long been deeply intertwined with policy and other value-laden decision points.
This session aims to bring together perspectives from marine scientists, non-natural scientists, and stakeholders, and reflect on their respective perceptions of the following topics in Marine science:
- Knowledge and data production considering their epistemic status and diversity
- Interdisciplinary collaborations and assessment of methodological best practices
- Values, history, philosophy, and sociology of marine science and governance
