Dr. Alessandra Basso

Biography

Alessandra Basso is a Fellow at the London School of Economics (LSE) with a focus on the intersection of philosophy and economics within the social sciences. Her research critically examines how philosophy can engage with the challenges faced by social scientists, particularly those regarding the epistemic and moral dilemmas that arise when studying ethically and politically charged concepts such as poverty, well-being, and inequality. Basso's current research centers on economic inequality, investigating how scientific work can be both value-laden and sufficiently objective to effectively inform decision-making. She is working on a forthcoming article for the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science that scrutinizes the accuracy of current scientific practices in measuring inequality. This work argues that while efforts to improve data comparability across countries are important, they often compromise accuracy. In collaboration with Professor Alexandrova from the University of Cambridge, Basso explores the epistemic, ethical, and pragmatic considerations that guide researchers in developing indicators for inequality, revealing the complexities that come with creating effective measures while addressing competing demands. Her expertise lies primarily in the philosophy of economics and the philosophy of science, focusing on economic inequality.

Research Interests