S5 E5 - Cristian Larroulet Philippi on Measurement in the Human Sciences

The HPS Podcast - Conversations from History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science

This week, Thomas Spiteri is joined by Dr. Cristian Larroulet Philippi, who joins us at the University of Melbourne this year as the inaugural RW Seddon Fellow in the History and Philosophy of Science program. With a background in economics and a PhD in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge, Larroulet Philippi was previously a Junior Research Fellow at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. His research explores the development and justification of quantitative concepts, the role of measurement in the human sciences, and the intersection of scientific objectivity and values.

In this episode, Larroulet Philippi:

• Traces his path from economics into philosophy of science, and how encounters with psychometrics and measurement theory reshaped his research direction
• Explains why measurement in the human sciences is perhaps more philosophically complex than in the physical sciences – highlighting issues of conceptual vagueness, causal complexity, and limited experimental control
• Discusses the difficulties of treating concepts like intelligence or depression severity as measurable quantities, and what kinds of evidence and theory would be needed to justify this
• Examines the risks of treating indices like depression or wellbeing scores as overly objective or precise in policy contexts, and why we need a clearer grasp of what such numbers are meant to represent
• Reflects on why clearer thinking about measurement matters across philosophy, psychology, sociology, and policy — and on his efforts to build cross-disciplinary dialogue

Relevant Links

• Cristian Larroulet-Philippi - University of Melbourne
• Recent Interview - about the RW Seddon Fellowship
• PhilPapers
• Cristian's podcast, FICICO (Spanish-speaking)

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This podcast would not be possible without the support of School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne and the Hansen Little Public Humanities Grant scheme.

Music by ComaStudio.
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