The Department of History and Philosophy of Sciences is the only one of its kind in the country. As part of the Faculty of Sciences, it engages with the University of Lisbon’s unique scientific heritage — notably the Museum of Natural History and Science, the two astronomical observatories, and the two botanical gardens.
The Department offers academic training at all levels — undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral — including a Minor, a Master’s degree (in collaboration with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities), and a PhD, all in History and Philosophy of Science. In addition to these programs, it also offers several courses in Cultural, Social, and Ethical Training (FCSE), which are optional for students from all Science programs, thereby playing a truly transversal role in the education provided by this institution. The Department thus offers Science students, as well as some students from other institutions, a unique historical and cultural framework for their scientific studies.
In terms of research, the Department is affiliated with the Interuniversity Centre for the History of Science and Technology (CIUHCT), which naturally contributes to the postgraduate training offered by the Department and is also the only research center in this field in Portugal. This centre has already secured two research projects funded by the European Research Council (ERC) — one a Starting Grant and the other an Advanced Grant — in addition to several projects funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).
The Department is also actively involved in promoting the History and Philosophy of Science, offering lectures to secondary schools and other institutions, and organizing exhibitions. Its members also take part in various multimedia outreach initiatives, in collaboration with CIUHCT.
Pedro Freitas
President of the DHFC