Durante casi un decenio, de 1979 a 1987 Mariano Artigas fue depurando y profundizando en aspectos de historia y filosofía de la ciencia que serán determinantes en la configuración de sus intereses intelectuales. Fuera del campo propio de la física, ahondó en filosofía de la mente, influido por John Eccles, y en la fiabilidad de la ciencia.

The period 1979 to 1987 was critical in the development of the intellectual interests of Mariano Artigas. He focused on the analysis and critique of scientism and its forms, particularly because of its impact on the debate on science and theology. In the field of meta-theory of consciousness he was influenced by John Eccles. He studied the properties of science, its limitations and, above all, its reliability.