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Feyerabend's youth
Paul Feyerabend was born in 1924 to a middle class Viennese family. Feyerabend was said to be a strange child, rarely venturing outside. Later, In his teenage years, Feyerabend would become exceptional in math and physics and would even presumably know more than his professors who taught those subjects. Feyerabend became fascinated in philosophy because of the "dramatic possibilities of reasoning" and "the power that arguments exerted over people". -
The Draft
Shortly after graduation, Feyerabend was drafted into the Nazi Army. He attempted to avoid the fighting by remaining in Germany but was later sent to the front towards the beginning of the Nazi downfall. Feyerabend would reach the rank of Major before being shot in the spine during a retreat from the Russian army in 1945. This bound him to a wheel chair and would spend the rest of the war in recovery. -
A Philsopher is Born
After the war Feyerabend returned to Vienna and would meet another well known philosopher, Karl Popper. Karl Popper was of great influence on Feyerabends career. He would also meet the likes of Ludwig Wittgenstein. After several years of studying at the Austrian College Society, Feyerabend would be accepted as a memeber of The Third Vienna Circle. -
U.S. Citizenship
Feyerabend would eventually move to the United States and continue his prestigious career at The University of California, Berkley. He would work there for several decades and continue to institute his anarchist views as well as continue to challenge the methodological values set as the norms in the scientific community. -
Feyerabend: Anything Goes
Feyerabend would spend the next several years battling criticism from fellow philososphers and scientists alike for his anarchist like beliefs in the scientific community. Feyerabend is considered one of the most non-doctrinal and outlandish philosophers of his time. This came to fruition with his publishing of Against Method in 1975. His work can easily be summarized in the statement "anything goes". -
Against Method Overview
Attached is a short video podcast by Stephan Allard which gives an overview of Paul Feyerabends Against Method.
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Feyerabend Laid to Rest
In the final stages of his life, Feyerabend moved to Geneva, Switzerland. He would pass away at the Genolier Clinic overlooking Lake Geneva. At the end of his autobiography it states his wish of what should remain of his "would not be papers nor final declaration, but love".
