-
Welcoming Paul Feyerabend 1924
In this year, Feyerabend was born in Vienna during the aftermath of World War I. He was described as "being a strange child, whose activities were entirely centered around his own family, and who was cut off from neighbors" (Preston). During his schooling years, he was a very advanced student who loved to read and learn, and eventually knew more than his own teachers. -
University 1947-1948
In 1947, Feyerabend returned to Vienna to attend University where he studied history and sociology even though he initially went for math, physics, and astronomy. He also met Karl Popper during his time in university, and it is said that he admired his work on philosophy and was for some time influenced by his ideas. -
Feyerabend's Thesis 1949-1951
And then by 1949, he was a part of the philosophy club known as the "Kraft Circle" where he met his future dissertation supervisor Victor Kraft. According to Stanford Encyclopedia, the "subject of the thesis was "basic sentences”, or “protocol sentences”, i.e. the kind of sentences that, the Logical Positivists had theorized, comprise the foundations of scientific knowledge" (Preston). -
Published Papers 1958
Around 1958 some of Feyerabend's more important early papers were published including “An Attempt at a Realistic Interpretation of Experience” where he "argued against positivism and in favor of a scientific realist account of the relation between theory and experience" which came from the ideas of Karl Popper's falsification theory (Preston). -
“Consolations for the Specialist"
Feyerabend was influenced by Kuhn's work, but more in terms of a critic in that he believed that Kuhn was trying to make scientists follow the path that has been placed by others. So while his colleagues saw disorder in Kuhn's ideas he interpreted rigidity towards the methods of scientists. He wanted to free thinkers to go outside of paradigms as new ideas occur everywhere and through anyone. These ideas and theories were the influence for his writings in the book "Against Method." -
"Against Method" 1975
This book marked a high point in Feyerabend's philosophical career, and most controversial. His ideas on the scientific method involved the saying that "anything goes" meaning why have rules and regulations which could hinder the creativity of scientists minds. He argued for what is called epistemological anarchism. -
Criticism and Consequences
The reaction Feyerabend received was filled with condemnation and disapproval which shocked him initially. He believed people misinterpreted his ideas which is why he published “Conversations with Illiterates” where he responded to this reviews. -
Death and Autobiography
Paul Feyerabend died on February 11th, 1994, and then a year later his autobiography was released which covered many of his ideas and interactions with the philosophy of science. -
Epistemological Anarchism
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coJF--qWeVc] This video is a short but accurate description of what epistemological anarchism is and what it means. This is the basis of Paul Feyerabend's belief where epistemological is how knowledge is acquired through methods and procedures where as anarchism is the elimination of a way of life or creation. When put together this means the elimination of methods in terms of science. No rules or regulations. -
References
Godfrey-Smith, Peter. Theory and Reality : An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. University of Chicago Press, 2003. EBSCOhost, ezproxy.apus.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip&db=nlebk&AN=324622&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Preston, John. “Paul Feyerabend.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 21 Sept. 2016, plato.stanford.edu/entries/feyerabend/#FeyeEarlLife.