The Max Planck Institute started its work in March 1994, with a research group headed by Jürgen Renn. A second research group headed by Lorraine Daston began officially in July 1995. The international search committee charged with finding a third director submitted its recommendation to the Humanities Section of the Max Planck Society in February 1996, and it is hoped that the third research group envisaged in the original plan for the Institute will be in operation by the end of 1996.
The Institute was officially opened on March 31, 1995. The speeches held on this occasion are published in the appendix of this annual report.
From March 1994 to December 1995, the permanent staff (including support staff) grew from 1 to 47. The library, which now contains approximately 13000 volumes, moved to its permanent quarters in December 1995.
The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science is dedicated to the development of a theoretically-oriented history of science which studies the acquisition of knowledge in interaction with its cultural, technical, and social contexts. Although the history of mathematics and the natural sciences is the primary focus of the research program of the Institute, the Institute also sponsors some projects devoted to the history of the human sciences. The current classification of knowledge into the divisions of the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences is taken to be itself an object of, rather than a guide to, historical investigation.
The following report documents the diversity of the research currently underway or in preparation at the Institute. Projects span many centuries and disciplines. What unites them is a commitment to an historical understanding of the fundamental categories of scientific investigation and debate, such as "deductivity'', "objectivity'', and "experience.'' As much as the specific theories and empirical findings that instantiate them, these categories have a history, rooted in a cognitive, material, and cultural matrix of concrete practices and normative ideals. The research of the Institute aims to develop such an "historical epistemology'' for the modern sciences.
Beurton, Peter J. (Dipl. 1968 [biology], Dr. rer. nat. 1973 [biology], Dipl. 1977 [philosophy] Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, habil. phil. 1987 [philosophy] Universität Potsdam); research scholar Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR (1972-1991); research scholar Forschungsschwerpunkt Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Wissenschaftstheorie, Berlin (1991-1994): research strategies in biological evolutionary theory; modern Darwinism and the philosophy of science (E. Mayr, K. Popper, T. S. Kuhn); genetics, population genetics, the biological species, and reductionism.
Damerow, Peter (associated) (Dr. 1977 [mathematics] Universität Bielefeld, habil. 1994 [philosophy] Universität Konstanz); Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Education: history of science and education, genesis of writing and arithmetic, individual and historical development of cognition, mathematical modelling in the sciences.
Daston, Lorraine (A.B. 1973 Harvard University, Dipl. 1974 University of Cambridge, Ph.D. 1979 [history of science] Harvard University); Assistant Professor Harvard University (1980-1983) and Princeton University (1983-1986); Dibner Associate Professor Brandeis University (1986-1989); Professor Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (1990-1992); Professor University of Chicago (1992-1995): history of probability and statistics (16th-19th centuries.); history of forms of scientific evidence and objectivity (16th-20th centuries.).
Graßhoff, Gerd (M.A. 1983, Dr. rer. nat. 1986 [history of science], habil. 1995 [philosophy] Universität Hamburg); research fellow Oxford University (1980-1981); Member of the Institute for Advanced Study Princeton (1987-1988); Minerva Associate at Tel-Aviv University (1990-1991); Hochschulassistent Universität Hamburg (1988-1995); Guest Professor for philosophy Universität Hamburg (1994-1995): modelling of scientific discovery processes; history of astronomy; methodology of sciences; natural philosophy late 19th and early 20th century.
Hoffmann, Dieter (Dipl. 1972 [physics], Dr. phil. 1976 Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Dr. habil. 1989 [history of science] Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin); research scholar Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR (1976-1991); research scholar Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (1991-1992); research scholar Forschungsschwerpunkt Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Wissenschaftstheorie, Berlin (1992-1995): history of physics in the 19th and 20th centuries, espec. institutional history of quantum theory and modern metrology; history of science in the GDR.
Kant, Horst (Dipl. 1969 [physics], Dr. rer. pol. [history & philosophy of science] 1973 Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin); research scholar Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (1973-1978); research scholar Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR (1978-1991); research scholar Forschungsschwerpunkt Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Wissenschaftstheorie, Berlin (1992-1995): history of physics in the 19th and 20th centuries (esp. institutional and social aspects); history of quantum theory and nuclear physics; development of physics in Berlin.
Kaufmann, Doris (Dr. phil. 1983, habil. 1993 [history] Technische Universität Berlin); Guest Professor Freie Universität Berlin (1994); Guest Professor Universität Tübingen (1994-1995); Guest Professor Universität Jena (1995); Guest Professor Universität Bern (1995-1996): history of psychiatry and of cultural anthropology; religious and gender-studies.
Klein, Ursula (Dr. phil 1993 [philosophy] Universität Konstanz); postdoctoral fellow Forschungsschwerpunkt Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Wissenschaftstheorie, Berlin (1993-1995): history and philosophy of laboratory sciences; history of early modern natural philosophy; history of 17th-19th centuries chemistry in connection with historical epistemology.
Küttler, Wolfgang (Dipl. 1958 [history] Universität Jena, Dr. phil. 1966 Universität Leipzig, Dr. sc. 1976, Professor 1978 [history] Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR); research scholar (1958-1967) Universität Jena and Universität Leipzig; research scholar (1967-1974), Head of Department (1974-1990), Director (1990-1991) Zentralinstitut für Geschichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR; Guest Professor Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (1981-1990); research scholar Forschungsschwerpunkt für Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Wissenschaftstheorie, Berlin (1992-1995): theory, methodology and history of historical science, marxist theory of history, Max Weber research.
Lefèvre, Wolfgang (Dr. phil. 1971 [philosophy], habil. 1977 [philosophy in connection with history of science] Freie Universität Berlin, APL-Professor Freie Universität Berlin [philosophy]): history of science in connection with history of philosophy on the basis of social history; sciences in Greek antiquity; early modern physics and chemistry; history of biology, 1600 to 1900.
Müller-Hoissen, Folkert, (Dipl. 1980, Dr. rer. nat. 1983, habil. 1993 [physics] Georg-August-Universität Göttingen ): general relativity; development and application of modern geometric methods in theoretical physics, history of relativity theory.
Parnes, Ohad (M.A. 1993 [history and philosophy of science] Tel-Aviv University): history of medicine and biology, specifically of bacteriology and immunology, German epistemology and philosophy of science at the beginning of the 20th century.
Renn, Jürgen (Dipl. 1983 [physics] Freie Universität Berlin, Dr. rer. nat. 1987 [mathematics] Technische Universität Berlin); Collaborator resp. co-editor Collected Papers of Albert Einstein (1986-1992); Assistant, since 1993 Associate Professor Boston University (1989-1993) [philosophy and history of science, physics]; Simon Silverman-Guest Professor Tel-Aviv University (1993) [history of science]; Guest Professor ETH Zürich (1993-1994) [philosophy]; Adjunct Professor Boston University (since 1994); Honorary Professor Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (since 1995) [history of science]: history of early modern mechanics, history of relativity theory; interaction between cognitive and contextual factors in the history of science.
Schoepflin, Urs (Dipl.-Soz. 1975, Freie Universität Berlin; director of library): scientific information systems; scientific communication; sociology and history of science; scientometrics.
Schüller, Volkmar (Dr. rer. nat. 1972 [physics] Universität Greifswald): research assistant Universität Greifswald (1972-1976); research scholar Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR (1979-1991); research scholar Forschungsschwerpunkt für Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Wissenschaftstheorie, Berlin (1992-1994): history of mathematics and physics (16th and 17th centuries).
Sibum, H. Otto (Dr. rer. nat. 1989 [physics] Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg); research scientist (1989-1990), research associate (1991-1993) and senior research associate (1994-1995) University of Cambridge: history of the physical sciences (18th century electricity and magnetism, 19th century electro- and thermodynamics); history of precision measurement and experimentation in relation to knowledge production.
Sigurdsson, Skúli (B.A. Brandeis University 1981 [mathematics and physics], Ph.D. 1991 [history of science] Harvard University); Guest Professor Universität Hamburg (1993): history of mathematics and physics (19th and 20th century); history of technolgy (esp. electrification and large technological systems); relationship between art, science and technology.
Steinle, Friedrich (Dipl. 1982 [physics], Dr. rer. nat. 1990 [history of science] Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen): history of physics 17th to 19th century; philosophy of science; history and philosophy of experimentation.
Vogel, Klaus A. (Dipl. 1981 [nautical science] Hochschule für Nautik Bremen, Dr. phil. 1995 [history] Georg-August-Universität Göttingen); research scholar Max-Planck-Institut für Geschichte Göttingen (1991-1995): medieval and early modern history; central european humanism; history of cosmography; late medieval and early modern science; history of violence and empathy.
Vogt, Annette (Dipl. 1975 [mathematics] Karl-Marx-Universität Leipzig, Dr. rer. nat. 1986 Karl-Marx-Universität Leipzig); research scholar Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR (1975-1991); coordinator Forschungsschwerpunkt Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Wissenschaftstheorie, Berlin (1992-1994): history of mathematics; history of mathematics in Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries; history of the relationships between Russia/Soviet-Union and Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries in mathematics; history of jewish scientists in Germany; history of female scientists in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Wahsner, Renate (Dipl. 1961, Dr. phil. 1966 [philosophy] Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Dr. sc. 1978 [philosophy] Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR, Professor 1987 [history of science] Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR); research scholar Humboldt-Universtität zu Berlin (1963-1970); research scholar Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR (1974-1991); research scholar Forschungsschwerpunkt Wissenschaftsgeschichte und Wissenschaftstheorie, Berlin (1992-1995): history of philosophy in connection with history of science; epistomological fundamentals and problems of physics.
Weinig, Paul (M.A. 1987, Dr. phil. 1994 [german philology] Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main); Teacher Goethe-Institut Frankfurt/M. (1991-1995); history of reception of italian humanistic literature in Germany (1400 to 1600); science and history of medieval manuscript-writing; history and methodology of teaching german as a foreign language.
Wunderlich, Falk (M.A. 1995 [philosophy] Freie Universität Berlin); Kant's natural philosophy.
Prof. Dr. Marie-Noëlle Bourguet, Université de Paris 7, visiting scholar (September 28, 1995 - February 3, 1996)
Dr. Michele Camerota, Università di Cagliari, postdoctoral research fellow (March 27, 1995 - May 27, 1995 and November 16, 1995 - February 14, 1996)
Dr. Leo Corry, Tel-Aviv University, postdoctoral research fellow (August 15, 1994 - February 28, 1995 and March 21, 1995 - May 18, 1995)
Berna Kilic Eden, University of Chicago, predoctoral research fellow (September 1, 1995 - October 31, 1996)
Prof. Dr. Yehuda Elkana, Tel-Aviv University, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, visiting scholar (July 1, 1995 - August 30, 1995)
Dr. Johannes Fehr, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, visiting scholar (April 1, 1995 - September 30, 1995)
Prof. Dr. Jöran Friberg, University of Göteborg, visiting scholar (January 15, 1995 - July 15, 1995)
Dr. Martin Gierl, Max-Planck-Institut für Geschichte, Göttingen, postdoctoral research fellow (October 1, 1995 - September 30, 1996)
Dr. Wolfgang Glänzel, Library of the Hungarian Academy of Science, Budapest, visiting scholar (July 1, 1995 - February 29, 1996)
Prof. Dr. Hubert Goenner, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, visiting scholar (November 7, 1995 - February 28, 1996)
Prof. Dr. Catherine Goldstein, Université de Paris Sud, visiting scholar (February 12, 1995 - August 12, 1995)
Dr. PD Michael Hagner, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Visting Scholar (November 1, 1995 - October 31, 1997)
Dr. Mario Helbing, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich, visiting scholar (January 16, 1995 - January 16, 1996)
Prof. Dr. Jens Høyrup, University Roskilde, visiting scholar (August 20, 1994 - January 31, 1995)
Prof. Dr. Blahoslav Hruka, Oriental Institute and the Charles University, Prague, visiting scholar (August 1, 1995 - October 31, 1995)
Prof. Dr. Thomas Hughes, University of Pennsylvania, visiting scholar (August 14, 1995 - September 15, 1995)
Dr. Michel Janssen, University of Pittsburgh, Boston University, postdoctoral research fellow (May 22, 1995 - August 3, 1995)
Dr. Edward Jurkowitz, University of Toronto, postdoctoral research fellow (December 1, 1995 - December 31, 1996)
Dr. Alexei Kojevnikov, Institute for History of Science and Technology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, postdoctoral research fellow (October 16, 1995 - December 15, 1995)
Cheryce Kramer, University of Chicago, predoctoral research fellow (September 1, 1995 - August 31, 1996)
Dr. Christian Licoppe, Centre National d'Études des Télécommunications, Paris, visiting scholar (December 7, 1995 - December 22, 1995)
Dr. Alexandre Mallard, École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris, Centre de Sociologie de l'Innovation, postdoctoral research fellow (October 1, 1995 - September 30, 1996)
Dr. Peter McLaughlin, Universität Konstanz, visiting scholar (August 1, 1994 - January 31, 1995)
Dr. Andrew Mendelsohn, Princeton University, postdoctoral research fellow (October 15, 1995 - October 15, 1996)
Dr. Sybilla Nikolow, Centre de Recherche de l'Histoire Science et Technique, Paris, postdoctoral research fellow (September 14, 1995 - September 15, 1996)
Brian Ogilvie, University of Chicago, predoctoral research fellow (September 1, 1995 - July 31, 1996)
Prof. Dr. Dorinda Outram, University of Cambridge and University College Cork), visiting scholar (September 15, 1995 - September 15, 1996)
Prof. Dr. Katharine Park, Wellesley College, visiting scholar (September 11, 1995 - January 31, 1996)
Dr. Albert Presas i Puig, Technische Universität Berlin, Walther Rathenau postdoctoral research fellow (September 1, 1995 - August 31, 1996)
Prof. Dr. Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, Universität Salzburg, visiting scholar (July 1, 1995 - September 30, 1995)
Prof. Dr. James Ritter, Université de Paris 8, visiting scholar (February 12, 1995 - August 12, 1995)
Dr. Britta Scheideler, Universität Bochum, postdoctoral research fellow (October 1, 1995 - September 30, 1997)
Prof. Dr. John Stachel, Boston University, visiting scholar (June 1, 1994 - August 31, 1995)
Prof. Dr. Zeno G. Swijtink, Indiana University (Bloomington), visiting scholar (October 1, 1995 - September 30, 1996)
Dr. Bernhard Thöle, Freie Universität Berlin, Lorenz Krüger postdoctoral research fellow (November 1, 1995 - October 31, 1996)
Dr. Gabriele Werner, Walther Rathenau postdoctoral research fellow (October 1, 1995 - September 30, 1996)