What is the history of philosophy of experimentation a history of? The cases of Hugo Dingler and Gaston Bachelard

Although “experimentation” as a philosophical topic is typically seen as a product of the 1980s, reflections on experimentation have a longer history. This longer history can be read as a hotbed of different ways in which the aim of philosophy of science was understood. This article illustrates this through an examination of Hugo Dingler and Gaston Bachelard, embodying different conceptions of what philosophy of science should aim for, and how reflecting on experimentation is part of that project. Dingler invokes the role of experimentation to stress the closedness of science, highlighting how abstract theories are always grounded in practical and material practices. Bachelard, in contrast, puts experimentation at the center of his philosophy to stress the openness of science, allowing him to appreciate the dynamism and novelty found in scientific practices. The article also explores the legacies of both Dingler and Bachelard, highlighting how also in these histories the disagreements about why we should engage with philosophy of science are at the center. Therefore, to understand the history of philosophy of experimentation, we need to write a history of the aims of philosophy of science.