I am a philosopher, specialized in the philosophy of science and social epistemology. I focus on the epistemological and societal conditions of climate science, the role of values in science, science and democracy, and social mechanisms in science and academia.
Since 2007, when I started with my PhD project, I have been studying how economic, industrial, and political interests undermine public trust in science and interfere with scientific practices in policy-relevant research areas. Scientists working on issues such as climate change, the safety of pesticides, or social biases are often confronted with systematic doubts regarding their competence and integrity, as well as with threats to their physical and emotional well-being.
These dynamics lead to serious epistemic consequences: intimidation stifles open debate, encourages overly careful and conservative methodological choices, and produces systematic biases toward false-negative errors. Together with Manuela Fernández Pinto, I have conducted a research project on this phenomenon, which has resulted in several publications.
Further Information on My Work
- My inaugural lecture at the University of Wuppertal
- An interview at the Socially Engaged Philosophy Channel with M. Fernández Pinto on our joint project (2021).
- An interview at Deutschlandfunk (2021).
- A report from Deutschlandfunk (2019).
- An article in the Süddeutsche Zeitung (2015). Also available in English.
I am currently a member of the steering committees of GWP and SW*IP.
Contact
E-Mail: leuschner@uni-wuppertal.de
CV
2021-: Professor of Philosophy of Science at the Bergische Universität Wuppertal: Philosophy Department and Interdisciplinary Center for Science and Technology Studies (IZWT)
2024-2025 (winter term): Research Fellow at the SOCRATES Center for Advanced Studies, Leibniz Universität Hannover
2021: Habilitation in Philosophy at Leibniz Universität Hannover (cumulative habilitation thesis on epistemic effects of the systematic intimidation of scientists)
2015-2021: Postdoc at the DFG Research Training Group “Integrating Ethics and Epistemology of Scientific Research”, Leibniz Universität Hannover
2014-2015: Research Fellow at the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS)
2012-2014: Postdoc in the research group LOBSTER with Gregor Betz at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Philosophy Department
2011-2012: Assistant Professor at Bielefeld University, Philosophy Department
2010-2012: Lecturer at Bielefeld University, Philosophy Department
2009: Visiting Scholar at Columbia University, NYC; invitation: Philip Kitcher
2007-2011: PhD student (Darmstadt and Bielefeld) with a scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation; PhD thesis on The Credibility of Science: An Epistemological Analysis of Climate Science (Advisors: Martin Carrier & Alfred Nordmann)
2007: M.A. in Philosophy and History. Magister thesis on The Responsibility of Scientists: The Case of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies
2004: Exchange student at University of Reading, UK
2001-2007: Studies of Philosophy, History, and Literature at Bielefeld University