Professor Joyce C. Havstad

Professor Joyce C. Havstad is a philosopher of science and values with a background in scientific practice, and a philosophical approach to understanding that practice which can be applied to many topics. She has published on animal ethics, archaic DNA, avian origins, chemical classification, classroom philanthropy, climate science and policy, homology, human reproductive cloning, inductive risk, junk DNA, macroevolution, natural kinds, natural selection, the new mechanistic philosophy, nuclear receptors, phosphoinositide signaling, scientific replication, video games, voucher specimen collection, and more.

Recent work by Prof. Havstad focuses on attitudinal norms of science, with openness to the prospect of reform. Extant norms typically present good science as a matter of individual character, and are focused on intent, integrity, and temperament. But evolutionary thinking about norms reveals limitations to this approach, explaining certain episodes of scientific nonideality and dysfunction. Alternative candidates for scientific norms are therefore in need of research and development; this is the project in which Prof. Havstad is currently engaged.