Alison Wylie facts for kids

Alison Wylie, born in 1954, is a Canadian philosopher who studies archaeology. She is a professor at the University of British Columbia and leads research in the philosophy of social sciences and history.

Dr. Wylie focuses on how science works, especially in fields like archaeology (studying old human history) and anthropology (studying human societies and cultures). She also explores research ethics (doing research in a fair and right way) and feminism in these areas.

Early Life and Education

Alison Wylie was born in 1954 in Swindon, England. She grew up in Canada. She earned her first university degree in Philosophy and Sociology from Mount Allison University in 1976.

Later, she studied at Binghamton University. There, she received a master's degree in anthropology in 1979. She then earned her PhD in philosophy in 1982. Her PhD paper was called Positivism and the New Archeology.

Academic Career and Contributions

Dr. Wylie has taught at many universities. These include the University of Western Ontario, Washington University in St. Louis, and Columbia University. She also taught at the University of Washington and Durham University. Currently, she is a professor in the philosophy department at the University of British Columbia.

Shaping Ethics in Archaeology

Dr. Wylie helped lead a committee for the Society for American Archaeology (SAA). This group created the "Principles of Archaeological Ethics." These are important rules that archaeologists follow today. Because of this important work, she received a special award from the SAA in 1995.

Leadership in Philosophy

Dr. Wylie was the senior editor for Hypatia, A Journal of Feminist Philosophy from 2008 to 2013. This is a well-known journal about feminist philosophy. In 2013, she was named "Distinguished Woman Philosopher of the Year."

She also served as president for major philosophical groups. She was president of the Pacific Division of the American Philosophical Association from 2011 to 2012. She also led the Philosophy of Science Association from 2019 to 2020. In 2019, she became a fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities.

Selected Works

Dr. Wylie has written many books and articles. Her work helps us understand how archaeologists find and interpret clues from the past. She also explores how our own ideas and values can affect scientific research.

Books

• (2016). Evidential Reasoning in Archaeology, co-authored with Robert Chapman. This book looks at how archaeologists use evidence to understand history.
• (2015). Material Evidence, Learning from Archaeological Practice, co-edited with Robert Chapman. This book explores how we learn from the physical things found in archaeology.
• (2002). Thinking From Things: Essays in the Philosophy of Archaeology. This book collects her thoughts on the philosophy behind archaeological work.
• (1995). Ethics in American Archaeology: Challenges for the 1990s, co-edited with Mark J. Lynott. This book discusses ethical issues in archaeology.

Articles and Chapters

Dr. Wylie has written many articles and chapters in other books. Some of her key topics include:

• How archaeologists work together with different communities.
• The role of feminist ideas in understanding archaeology.
• How evidence is used and understood in scientific fields.
• The importance of ethics and responsibility in studying the past.

Her writings often explore how different viewpoints can help us get a fuller picture of history and science.

See also

In Spanish: Alison Wylie para niños