Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (German: Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte) is a scientific research institute founded in March 1994.^[1] It is dedicated to addressing fundamental questions of the history of knowledge from the Neolithic era to the present day, and its researchers pursue a historical epistemology in their study of how new categories of thought, proof, and experience have emerged in interactions between the sciences and their ambient cultures.^[2]

Max Planck Institute for the History of Science

Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte
Abbreviation	MPIWG
Formation	March 1994; 31 years ago (1994-03)
Type	Scientific research institute
Location	Dahlem, Berlin, Germany
Executive director	Dagmar Schäfer
Directors	Etienne Benson and Dagmar Schäfer
Key people	Lorraine Daston and Jürgen Renn, founding directors
Parent organization	Max Planck Society
Website	www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de

Organization

The MPIWG comprises three departments and several independent research groups.^[3] As of August 2024, two departments are filled:

• "Knowledge Systems and Collective Life," directed by Etienne Benson^[4]
• "Artifacts, Action, Knowledge," directed by Dagmar Schäfer

Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, who headed Department III from 1995 to 2014, and Lorraine Daston, who headed Department II from 1995 to 2019, remain at the MPIWG as emerita. Jürgen Renn headed the department "Structural Changes in Systems of Knowledge" from 1994 to 2023, when in moved on to Jena to be the Founding Director at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology.

The Research Groups are:

• "Practices of Validation in the Biomedical Sciences," led by Lara Keuck^[5]
• "China in the Global System of Science," led by Anna L. Ahlers^[6]
• "Historical Epistemology of the Final Theory Program," led by Alexander Blum^[7]
• "Experience in the Premodern Sciences of Soul & Body ca. 800–1650," led by Katja Krause^[8]

In addition are groups and programs focusing on:

• Research IT and Digital Humanities
• Computational History of Science

The institute also comprises doctoral students, and research and teaching cooperations with other institutions worldwide.

Journalists in Residence

The institute has a Journalist-in-Residence program.^[9]