Autumn 2005 Events

Professor Elisabeth A. Lloyd is the Arnold and Maxine Tanis Chair of History and Philosophy of Science, Indiana University, Bloomington. She was at the Institute on Wednesday October 12, 2005 to discuss her new book, The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution.
Why women evolved to have orgasms–when most of their primate relatives don't–is a persistent mystery among evolutionary biologists. In pursuing this mystery in her new book "The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution," philosopher of science and evolutionary theorist Elisabeth Lloyd arrives at another: How could anything as inadequate as the evolutionary explanations of the female orgasm have passed muster as science? A meticulous, revealing look at all twenty evolutionary accounts of the trait of human female orgasm, Lloyd's book is at the same time a case study of how certain biases can steer science astray.
Over the past fifteen years, the effect of sexist or male-centered approaches to science has been hotly debated. Drawing especially on data from nonhuman primates and human sexology over eighty years, Lloyd shows precisely what damage such bias does to the study of female orgasm. She also exposes a second, pernicious form of bias that permeates the literature on female orgasm: one toward adaptationism. As she weighs the evidence, Lloyd takes on nearly everyone who has written on the subject: evolutionists, animal behaviorists, and feminists alike.
Upon publication many feminists objected to media portrayals of the book, which focused on the embryological account of female orgasm that Lloyd currently favors– an account they saw as minimizing the importance of female sexuality. This unfortunate reaction resulted from the media's downplaying of the feminist analysis in the book, as well as the public's misperception of its evolutionary arguments.
Those interested in learning more about the book and the debates it has aroused are encouraged to check out Prof. Lloyd's website at mypage.iu.edu/~ealloyd/. The FAQs give a general idea of what's in the book; of special interest to gender studies people will be Lloyd's response to an especially vicious attack on her feminist analysis, mounted by sociobiologist David Barash, in the "Reviews, Articles and Interviews" section.
Professor N.E.J. Oudshoorn of The University of Twente, The Netherlands,
gave a talk on "Designing Technology and Masculinity: A Biography of the Male Pill" on Monday October 24, 4pm at Serra House. The talk was followed by questions and discussion.
Nelly Oudshoorn is a professor of Technology Dynamics and Health Care at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. In addition, she is a visiting professor at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She has also been a visiting professor at the Department of Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, USA, and the Department of Technology and Social Change in Linkoping, Sweden. Currently, she is the leader of the research program "Users of Science and Technology" at the Centre of Science, Technology and Society at the University of Twente. Among other roles, Nelly Oudshoorn is contributing editor of the journal Science, Technology & Human Values, editorial adviser of the journal Social Studies of Science, and member of the Advisory Council of the Society for the History of Technology.
Her research interests and publications include the co-construction of technologies and users with a particular focus on medical technologies and information and communication technologies. Past publications include "The Male Pill. A Biography of a Technology in the Making" (Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2003) and (with T.J. Pinch, co-editors) "How Users Matter. The Co-construction of Users and Technology" (Massachusetts: MIT Press, 2003). She is currently working on a project exploring the role of trust in the design and use of digital patient monitoring technologies in the field of cardiology. For more information, visit www.utwente.nl/en/

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Home People News Events Calendar Fellowships Programs and Research Grants and Prizes Publications and Podcasts Art at the Institute Links Support our Work	Autumn 2005 Events Professor Elisabeth A. Lloyd is the Arnold and Maxine Tanis Chair of History and Philosophy of Science, Indiana University, Bloomington. She was at the Institute on Wednesday October 12, 2005 to discuss her new book, The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution. Why women evolved to have orgasms–when most of their primate relatives don't–is a persistent mystery among evolutionary biologists. In pursuing this mystery in her new book "The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution," philosopher of science and evolutionary theorist Elisabeth Lloyd arrives at another: How could anything as inadequate as the evolutionary explanations of the female orgasm have passed muster as science? A meticulous, revealing look at all twenty evolutionary accounts of the trait of human female orgasm, Lloyd's book is at the same time a case study of how certain biases can steer science astray. Over the past fifteen years, the effect of sexist or male-centered approaches to science has been hotly debated. Drawing especially on data from nonhuman primates and human sexology over eighty years, Lloyd shows precisely what damage such bias does to the study of female orgasm. She also exposes a second, pernicious form of bias that permeates the literature on female orgasm: one toward adaptationism. As she weighs the evidence, Lloyd takes on nearly everyone who has written on the subject: evolutionists, animal behaviorists, and feminists alike. Upon publication many feminists objected to media portrayals of the book, which focused on the embryological account of female orgasm that Lloyd currently favors– an account they saw as minimizing the importance of female sexuality. This unfortunate reaction resulted from the media's downplaying of the feminist analysis in the book, as well as the public's misperception of its evolutionary arguments. Those interested in learning more about the book and the debates it has aroused are encouraged to check out Prof. Lloyd's website at mypage.iu.edu/~ealloyd/. The FAQs give a general idea of what's in the book; of special interest to gender studies people will be Lloyd's response to an especially vicious attack on her feminist analysis, mounted by sociobiologist David Barash, in the "Reviews, Articles and Interviews" section. Professor N.E.J. Oudshoorn of The University of Twente, The Netherlands, gave a talk on "Designing Technology and Masculinity: A Biography of the Male Pill" on Monday October 24, 4pm at Serra House. The talk was followed by questions and discussion. Nelly Oudshoorn is a professor of Technology Dynamics and Health Care at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. In addition, she is a visiting professor at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She has also been a visiting professor at the Department of Science and Technology Studies at Cornell University in Ithaca, USA, and the Department of Technology and Social Change in Linkoping, Sweden. Currently, she is the leader of the research program "Users of Science and Technology" at the Centre of Science, Technology and Society at the University of Twente. Among other roles, Nelly Oudshoorn is contributing editor of the journal Science, Technology & Human Values, editorial adviser of the journal Social Studies of Science, and member of the Advisory Council of the Society for the History of Technology. Her research interests and publications include the co-construction of technologies and users with a particular focus on medical technologies and information and communication technologies. Past publications include "The Male Pill. A Biography of a Technology in the Making" (Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2003) and (with T.J. Pinch, co-editors) "How Users Matter. The Co-construction of Users and Technology" (Massachusetts: MIT Press, 2003). She is currently working on a project exploring the role of trust in the design and use of digital patient monitoring technologies in the field of cardiology. For more information, visit www.utwente.nl/en/
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