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Born
Imre Lakatos was born with the name Imre lipschitz in Debrecen, Hungary. In order for Imre to avoid Nazi discrimination, Imre changed is surname to Molnar, and later Lakatos. Imre was inspired by a Hungarian general named Geza Lakatos, and so he became Imre Lakatos. -
University of Debrecen
Imre lakatos graduated from the University of Debrecen. While there, Imre studied mathematics, physics, and philosophy. -
PhD in philosophy
After the Soviet Union stopped the Hungarian revolution, Lakatos left. He walked across the border to Austria with his wife and her parents. After two months he made his way to King’s College Cambridge, he had earned a Rockefeller Fellowship to begin his PhD with R.B. Braithwaite looking over him. He completed this in 1959 with his title being, “Essays in the Logic of Mathematical Discovery”. -
London School of Economics
In 1960 Lakatos was hired at the London School of Economics (LSE). He was hired as an assistant lecturer for the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, this is where he wrote on the philosophy of science and philosophy of mathematics. -
Research Programs
Research Programs that Lakatos brought forth came between Poppers views and Thomas Kuhn's views, Kuhn's views to Lakatos were presented as a mob psychology, where only the most energetic and loudest wins. Lakatos saw this as a problem and so began his theory of Research Programs which consisted of Hard Core, where either research was progressive or degenerative. Lakatos proposed this as a middle way between Popper and Kuhn.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPF5V7MoSTM -
Died
Imre passed away from an unexpected heart attack in London, England. Dying so young he left many of his projects unfinished. -
Lakatos Award
The London School of Economics created the Lakatos award on his behalf. It is only given to canidates who make exceptional contributions to the field of the philosophy of science.
