A Matter of Phronesis: Experiment and Virtue in Physics, A Case Study

Abstract

Condensed Matter Physics is a branch of research which alone constitutes the biggest slice of the physics community at large (Particle physics, in second place, is still only half in size). The hot and big problem in Condensed Matter Physics today is the puzzle of High Temperature Superconductivity (HTS), object of an ongoing and philosophically rich controversy. I argue that the role of the scientific community and the role of dissenting positions is epistemically crucial for determining the nature and impact of experimental practice in HTS research. In order to delve into ongoing scientific controversies I take it to be necessary to take a multidisciplinary approach. This controversy is then (1) interpreted and analysed inside the philosophical debate on explanation, prediction and scientific agreement (2) located in its historical context, and considered in its complex historical evolution (3) explored ex-cathedra through experience in laboratories and interviews with living working scientists (4) assessed with a sociological eye, to acknowledge the discrepancies between the vision of the community as it emerges from peer-reviewed publications and official media and the vision of the community depicted by the dissenting minorities.