Dudley Shapere Papers
Dudley Shapere was the Reynolds Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science at Wake Forest University from 1984 to 2001. Shapere is well-known for his work on the philosophy of science, primarily in regard to the evolution of scientific methodology. There is a substantial amount of instructional materials in this collection that document his the entirety of his teaching career. The collection also contians drafts and iterations of his peer-reviewed articles, conference materials, and correspondence. There is also correspondence with editors, committees, and contemporaries.
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Summary Information
- Repository
- Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives
- Title
- Dudley Shapere Papers
- Date
- 1950-2016 (inclusive)
- Extent
- 8.22 Linear Feet / 6 record cartons and 1 document box
- ID
- MS728
Biographical and Historical Note
Dudley Shapere (1928-2016) was Reynolds Professor of the Philosophy and History of Science at Wake Forest University. Born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, he was the son of Abraham Dudley Shapere, a surgeon, and Corinne Pupkin. He studied philosophy as an undergraduate and graduate student at Harvard University, where he earned his doctorate in 1957. His career included faculty appointments at the Ohio State University, the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, and the University of Maryland at College Park. From 1966 to 1975, Shapere served as a special consultant for the National Science Foundation's History and Philosophy of Science Program. From 1974 to 1977, he spoke at several universities as the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society's bicentennial lecturer. He was a visiting researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. He was invited to lecture internationally and was elected as a member of the Academie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences in 1990. He served on the editorial board of several professional journals and authored numerous articles and books on the philosophy and history of science.
In 1984 he was appointed the Z. Smith Reynolds Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at Wake Forest, where he taught for over fifteen years. Shapere retired from Wake Forest in 2001 but continued to write and give lectures around the world. Shapere passed away on December 26, 2016. He was survived by his second wife, Hannah Hardgrave, and their daughters Elizabeth and Anne as well as his son Alfred and daughter Catherine from his previous marriage to Alfreda Bingham, granddaughter of explorer and politician Hiram Bingham.
Collection Overview
This collection documents Shapere's multidiscipline approach to understanding the intersections of philosophy, history, and the natural sciences. The collection contains handwritten and typed lectures along with related course materials such as notes, syllabi, evaluations, and supplemental course materials. The majority of the academic files are from Shapere's time as the Reynolds Professor of the Philosophy and History of Science, but some materials covers his work before arriving at Wake Forest. Research papers that Shapere presented at conferences, in addition to his articles in published journals, are also in the collection. Reviews of Shapere's published works as well as critiques and reviews of his contemporaries are also among his professional files. A small amount of audiocassette recordings of some lectures, most given as part of a lecture series with the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) are also present. In this collection are a few photographs, primarily professional headshots and photographs of Shapere at professional conferences. Some courses listed within this collection share similar titles, however, they may have been taught at different times and institutions during Shapere's career.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into 4 series: Series 1. Biographical materials, Series 2. Research and writing materials, Series 3. Instruction materials, and Series 4. Audiocassette recordings.
Series 1. Biographical materials, is further arranged into 4 sub-series: Sub-series 1. Personal materials. Sub-series 2. Correspondence, Sub-series 3. Book reviews and related materials, and Sub-series 4. Photographs. The materials in all subseries of Series 1 are arranged chronologically.
Series 2. Research and writing materials is further arranged into 2 sub-series: Sub-series 1; Published and unpublished papers, arranged alphabetically; and Sub-series 2. Conference talks and addresses, arranged chronologically. Some papers in the first sub-series are regarding topics that Shapere presented at conferences and appear in the second sub-series.
Series 3. Instruction materials are arranged in alphabetical order. Series 4. Audiocassette recordings is arranged chronologically.
Administrative Information
- Publication Information
- Ashelee Gerald Hill
- Access Restrictions
- This collection is open for use.
- Copyright Notice
- The nature of the WFU Z.Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Archives and Special Collections of ZSR Library claims only physical ownership of most materials. The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to the U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
- Preferred Citation
- Dudley Shapere Papers (MS728), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.