About the BSPS

The British Society for the Philosophy of Science (BSPS) is a professional society that furthers the study of the logic, the methods, and the philosophy of science, as well as those of the various special sciences, including the social sciences.

Currently the BSPS pursues this mission by providing doctoral scholarships, small conference grants, and administering awards. It organises an annual conference for its members. The BSPS is also the professional society that administers the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science.

The benefits of joining the BSPS include the ability to participate in the annual meeting, apply for conference grants, receive discounts from University of Chicago Press, and more. Read more about the benefits of joining…

The BSPS is guided by its Constitution and governed by a Committee of members of the philosophy of science community.

Read the Constitution or View the Committee…

The Society has a record archive that is held at the University of Leeds. Information about the contents of the archive can be found on the BSPS Records Archive page.

In 1948 a group of historians, philosophers and scientists met at the University College London to discuss the formation of a Philosophy of Science Group. A Provisional Committee consisting of Alistair Crombie, Herbert Dingle, Karl Popper, F.I.G. Rawlins, and Gerald Whitrow met to formulate the statement of aims, writing,

The purpose of the Group is to study the logic and method of science as well as of the various special sciences, including the social sciences. The main emphasis is upon an approach through the various special sciences to the philosophy of science. (Source)

The Group was originally approved as a group affiliated with British Society for the History of Science, and the first annual meeting was held on 15 Nov 1948 at University College London. In January of 1959 the Philosophy of Science Group was reconstituted as the British Society for the Philosophy of Science, and announced in the May 1959 issue of BJPS.